Winx Club: Senior Year
by Hiruka
Summary: Scarlet is a wind fairy with "certain conditions" that prevent her from becoming a full fledge fairy.When her school's destroyed, she's sent to Alfea and to the Winx Club.However, will she be able to tell the Winx about her condition? Will they even help?
1. Chapter 1

Hi, Hiruka here. This is my winx fanfic and just so you know where it's set, i thought that when Bloom started Alfea College it was her freshman year, but i think it's actually her sophmore year, so in this story just pretend that when she came, it was everyones freshman year. Now references from the first movie's in here, so the only thing that is not included is when the Winx graduates. That'll come later. Also, when i talk about the clothes they wear, the shoes for fairies are all platforms (Unless its said oherwise) since many of them wear platform or high-heeled shoes and many of them also wear belly shirts, so keep that in mind when you read the clothes descriptions. Finally, since this is a fisrt person narative, whenever there's a scene without the heroin, i write it like a play becasue technically, we don't know what the other characters are thinking.

Okay, any other questions, just ask. So please enjoy Winx Club: Senior Year!  
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_From the time I was born, I knew I was to become a great fairy warrior like my mother and a great advisor to the royal family like my father. It was a future that I was looking forward to and couldn't wait to take on…_

_…but things never go as planned…not even my own future._

Chapter 1: From One School to Another

"Packing, packing, what else do I need?" My eyes scanned my room for items that looked "scholar" like that should belong in one of my two suitcases. Finally, it fell on one of the books that was required for the year…my final year. A grin grew on my face as I repeated that. My final year. My final year.

"MY GOD I CAN'T WAIT!" I shouted without thinking. There was a sudden knock on my door that made me jump.

"Scarlet?" said the voice on the other side, "Are you alright?"

"Never been better, mom," I answered, "Just packing for my FINAL year at school." I heard the door open and saw my mother entering, her long black hair flowing after her. I was always amazed that she can keep her hair o beautiful at such a length, not to mention how she can fight with the extra weight tracing behind her. She looked at me with a twinkle in her matching black eyes.

"Yes," she said with a nod, "Your final year at the Inter-Realm Academy for Fairy Warriors. I must say I'm sorry to see it go."

"I couldn't be happier," I replied, picking up a few more school books and doing my best to shove them in my already over-stuffed suitcase. "Besides, Princess Kayla is gonna be running the planet for the first time when I graduate, giving me the best advantage of working well under her. Plus, with the little advising lessons and tricks dad taught me over the summers, I should be able to do my job well." Mom rolled her eyes at me.

"Princess Kayla will rule, indeed, but her parents are watching over her, making sure that if she faces any trouble, they can help." She paused for a second, staring out through the open balcony door. I stopped packing and looked over at her, noticing the wind blowing her hair around her white, silky dress, causing it to fly a little off the ground.

"Mom?" I asked, a little worried, "Are you okay?" Mom blinked for a second and laughed, rubbing the top of her head.

"I was just thinking about how you're going to be able to be a warrior and family advisor for the royal family."

"Well dad's gotta let me try to be an advisor when Princess Kayla's running the country. Besides, isn't it better that when there's a new ruler, there's a new advisor?" Mom began to think about it. "That way," I continued, "The people of Aquila won't question the old advisor as ruling the country through the Princess." Mom laughed.

"I guess you're right." She walked towards me and held me close. "You've grown so much." I giggled.

"I know." Soon, the castle bells tolled, indicating that those who're heading out to the academy should head over to the palace for the "farewell breakfast". It was an event I was looking forward to. The King and Queen host this breakfast, looking and observing of the future protectors of Aquila. Plus, it's crucial for the royal family to know their warriors. Builds trust, the most sacred trait a person can have. I inhaled the crisp morning air, quickly closed my bags (as best as I could), grabbed mom, and ran to the palace.

"Wait!" Mom cried as I was dragging her, "What about your father?"

"He'll meet us there," I answered, "You know dad and his sneaky tricks." I giggled again, thinking of the same tricks dad had taught me. Not only was I to be an advisor to the royal family, but I also was to learn as much as I could about other realms, kingdoms, creatures, everything. Of course, it's impossible to learn everything and have a life, but dad always tell me to do a bit of both. Besides, I learn things sometimes when I'm having fun.

It didn't take long to reach the castle. It was a tall, floating mountain with large, crystal clear windows. Going into and out of the palace was my favorite part because you needed to get in the proper wind current that shoots you up or gently carries you down. However, it was always easy to find because there're always guards at the entrance of the "up" current. I greeted the guards, mentioning like a little child that I'm graduating, and stood in front of the current. I spread my arms out, took a deep breath of the fresh current air, and fell forward. Once I was halfway in the current, my feet lifted off the ground and I flew in the air. I spun forwards, backwards, twirled, I welcomed the wind's embrace and wrapped it around me. When I saw the base of the castle getting closer, I prepared my self to perform a grand entrance, placing my left leg over my right and left arm over my right. I began to feel the wind pushing me faster into the sky…and also out of its proper current. As soon as I no longer felt the ribbons of the current, I did a front flip in the air, feeling the stupid pull of gravity, thus pulling me down. However, as I landed, beautifully on my feet, I heard the people applauding me. I took a graceful bow and waited for mom. As she gently rose with the current, stepping out of it delicately, she sighed.

"You're lucky that this is your last banquet," she said. I grinned at her and ran inside. Once I entered the great hall, full of lushes designs, large crystal windows, beautiful music, and lots of my fellow schoolmates grades young through now, I began searching around for my dad, trying to find any extremely bright blonde haired person or someone who'd be hanging around on the ceiling, spying on everyone, but nothing.

"Have you found him yet?" Mom asked. I shook my head. "That's weird. He said that he'd save a table for us. Oh wait, there he is." I followed her pointed finger and saw a tall man with bright blonde hair leaning against one of the windows. He had one hand in his pocket and the other holding a small book. I sighed and walked on over. As I got closer, dad looked up, looking at me with his grey eyes and smiled his daddy smile. He put the book on our table and gave me a big hug.

"My little fighter and elder's last banquet," he said proudly. I began to pout.

"I'm not an elder. I'm an advisor for Princess Kayla," I corrected.

"Of course you are," he said, slightly ignoring my correction, "You'll be on the Princess's council all old and sitting on your butt just talking, and-"

"Damian!" Mom shouted, "She's got other obligations than giving advice."

"That's true, Lolita. She's gotta read many and different books." Mom began to scowl.

"What about defending her planet?" Dad laughed and wrapped an arm around mom.

"I know, hon, I know. You don't have to get mad." Mom shook her head and looked at me as I began to devour the food that dad had placed on my plate.

"If you ever find a man, make sure he's not a jerk like your father." Dad mad a face and sighed.

"Oh Scarlet," he said as he took his seat, "if only your mother would admit that because of my wonderful looks and charms, maybe she'd appreciate my jokes more." Mom didn't say anything as she took her seat, but I could tell that she was annoyed. I shrugged and continued eating. I always missed my parents when I was at school, but I knew that they'd take care of each other. I was so lucky to have them as my parents.

Soon, the time came when I had to say good-bye, so hugged them each as I headed towards the portal. Before I entered, I felt a rush of wind sweep around me. It was faster and harsher than anything I'd felt in my life. I closed my eyes and dropped my suitcases, hearing people scream in shock. The wind eventually knocked me off my feet and I fell forwards, landing right on the lovely dirt. Suddenly, as it came, it stopped and I heard every whisper around me. There were footsteps running towards me (I guessed my parents), so I tried my best to stand up.

"Scarlet!" Mom breathed, holding me tight, "What was that?" I shook my head in her hug.

"I dunno. The wind's never acted like that here." Mom finally let me go as dad lifted up my right arm. There was a slash going down across my wrist along with fresh, scarlet colored blood trickling down.

"Nice way to start the year," dad said, pulling out a handkerchief. He was about to wrap my wrist in it, but I pulled it back. "Scarlet," he said in a stern voice, "You know that you can't do _that_." I looked at my wound and sighed. When it came to hurting myself in public, dad refuse for me to pull out a spell or two that weren't from Aquila, especially since the spells I knew were dark magic ones. I extended my injured wrist and looked away, trying my best to hold my tongue. Many people knew about my _other_ self, even the royal family knew, but they decided that it was best to keep it quiet so as not to disturb those who think otherwise.

"There we go," dad said once it was wrapped. "Did you get any stains on your clothes?" I looked down at my white belly tank-top, a dark blue jean mini skirt, and navy knee-high-boots. I placed my hand over the shirt (it was the dirtiest) and released my magic on the stain, which disappeared and spread over to the rest of me in a matter of seconds.

"Nope," I answered with a grin. Dad smiled and hugged me once again, then mom. I smiled at them and entered the portal. As I turned back, I saw them waving good-bye and slowly disappearing though the bright yellow light. Once they fully disappeared, I felt a chill go up my spin. For some reason, I couldn't forget about that harsh wind. It was if it was warning me about something. _Well, wind spirits sometimes send harsh messages, but why not to the King and Queen?_

Luckily, my worry disappeared as the bright light began to open in front of me, revealing the beautiful campus of Inter-Realms Academy. My heart skipped a beat as I picked up my bags and sprinted towards the big, iron gates. Once I signed in with the assistant head-mistress, I headed towards my room, wondering if I was going to have the same roommates. Before I could even open my door, it burst open and a person fell on me.

"SCARLET! WE'RE ROOMIES AGAIN!" I tried to laugh, but the fact that this fairy of fire had a lot of strength to the point where I could bring air into my lungs.

"Celia, you're gonna choke her if you keep doing that," said a familiar voice in the doorway. Celia let me go, her flaming red hair whipping my face.

"But Lucentia, our best friend is gonna room with us for our final year." Lucentia adjusted her glasses, her multicolored eyes falling on me. When you're the fairy of both light and dark, your eyes swirl with a mixture of both. "Scar, you talk to her." Celia whipped her hair the other way (smacking me again, mind you) and stared at me with her chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm not troublesome, am I?" She asked on the verge of tears. I quickly shook my head.

"No way. You just have a strong grip when it comes to hugs, that's all." Celia quickly recovered and jumped in the air.

"Even after all these years of being roommates, I marvel at the fact that you're actually a warrior fairy," Lucentia commented. Celia began to pout again, bringing the two into one of their regular argument. I grabbed my stuff and swiftly passed them, heading inside our small room and placing my stuff on the bed by the balcony window. I snapped my fingers, expecting my bag to click open, but instead, it sprung open, allowing all of my stuff to fall around my bed. Lucentia and Celia stopped their arguing and looked at me. After a moment of silence, they suddenly burst into laugher.

"By the way," Celia said as she wiped a tear of laughter away, "Did you see you're 'knight-in-shining-armor-named-Jeremy' yet?" I felt my heart beat loudly as I gave a shy smile.

"Not yet, but I'm sure we'll see him at the opening ceremony." Lucentia placed a sly smile on her face.

"Do you even have a nice outfit to greet him in?" I pinched my lips together and looked out through the balcony doors.

"Is it too late for me to skip the party?" I asked aloud.

"YOU CAN'T MISS THE PARTY!" Celia shouted.

"I was joking!" I shouted back. Celia covered her mouth. "And I'll find something. I'll go into town if I have to."

"Will you be back in time?" Lucentia asked.

"Of course I will!" I dug through my suitcases for some spending money and found enough to buy some clothes and shoes. With a grin on my face, I quickly opened the balcony doors. It'll be faster if I traveled wind style. I waved my hand in a circle above my head and felt the wind blow in the direction of town. I turned to my friends and saluted them.

"I'll be back with the wanted item. I will not fail this mission," I said in a formal warrior voice. They laughed and waved good-bye, signaling me to leave. I climbed onto the thin railing and raised my arms like earlier and fell forward. The wind quickly picked me up and with speed and style, I traveled to town. It didn't take long, which was good time wise, but now the hard part was finding a store. I slowly landed on the concrete ground and made my transport wind current disappear. The town looked like an everyday modern town with lots of shops with many clearance sales.

"Just my luck!" I quickly ran into one of the shops and dug around for something decent. Eventually, I was able to find a cool, silky silver dress with off-the-shoulder, three-quarter sleeves. It was cut to look like a two piece outfit; there was a hot-pink ribbon that loosely connected the top and bottom together. The bottom half was a knee-length skirt cut at a diagonal, so as to look like a mini-skirt on one side and a knee-length one on the other. Another hot-pink ribbon was at the high end of the skirt, so that if I want it tighter, I can make it so, though I don't think that'll be necessary. Now that I had the perfect dress, next were the shoes.

"Silver open toed would be nice," I said aloud, snooping around the store. Faster than finding my dress, I was able to find simple open toed sandals that buckled around my ankle as it criss-crossed over my foot. I grinned at my new purchases and skipped towards the exit.

"And with loads of time to prepare." The doors opened automatically as I stepped out. "I know that Jeremy's gonna like this."

A sudden gust of wind crashed into me, causing me to hold onto my purchases tightly as I closed my eyes tightly.

"_You must come_ ."

My eyes flew open as the wind grew stronger, knocking me off my feet like at Aquila, and carrying me faster than any space ship or wind-rider I'd been on in my life.

"Come?" I shouted over the wind howling in my ears, "Come where?"

"_We have to hurry. It might be too late_."

"For what?!" I shouted, beginning to lose my patients. "I've gotta head back to school!"

"_That's the problem_." I paused, the howling continuing. I've spoken to many wind spirits directly during an emergency, but nothing that seemed this urgent. In fact, anything this urgent never involved me before. I wanted to ask it more questions, but I remained quiet and just waited until I saw smoke rising in the distance. As I focused on its location, I gasped.

"Is that?"

"_Yes…we might be too late._"

I couldn't get the "no" out of my throat. The smoke that was approaching fast came from the direction of my school, and judging by the wind's voice of concern, I believed that the smoke was not just in the direction of my school, but from it. A wave of panic swept over me as I began to take quick breaths out of nervousness. The academy hasn't been attacked in many many years. And it even had the strongest security against anything that might come, so why was there smoke? As we got closer, the smoke began to get caught in the wind current, causing me to cough. I took off dad's handkerchief and placed it over my nose, making sure that the side with my blood was NOT pressed against my nose.

"_I must let you down. Go_!" The wind gently brought me down. Once my feet touched the ground, I sprinted towards the burning academy. I removed the handkerchief since the smoke wasn't as bad below the trees, but once I reached the gate, I stopped and stared. All of the fighters were on the ground, slashed all over through their clothes, armor, shields, everything. As I took deep breaths to remain calm, I smelt fresh blood in the air, sharp and strong. I quickly covered my nose, feeling my upper set of teeth tingling with the scent.

_Shit!_ I ran inside, despite the smell of blood increasing as I went to each student and seeing their faces without any sign or trace of life, each having a circle carved out from their necks with blood trickling out. I saw my vision fogging up and tears began to run down my cheeks as I continued on inside the school. I thought about creating a wind current to travel faster, but I realized that the smoke would get caught and cause me a coughing fit. My legs continued to carry me up to my room until I reached the open doorway. The balcony door was still open along with my stuff still scattered, though they were torn into ruins…along with my friends. The tears streamed faster down my cheeks as I ran to the two of them, leaning back to back on the floor, covered in each other's blood. The scent began to drive me crazy as my teeth began to ach, especially two of them. Normally, I'd allow the tingling to take over, but not now. I promised not to fall under any influence of blood. My hands reached out to them and shook them, dropping my bag in the process.

"Celia, Lucentia, please answer me!" I shouted, but they didn't. They instead fell to the floor with a thump. As they fell, I noticed both having the similar deep circle carved out of their necks. With anger and rage building up inside of me, I smacked my fists against the floor and screamed bloody murder. The tears continued to stream, creating a puddle near my dead friends as I continued to resist the tingling pain. I felt the faintest gentle breeze on my face, whispering in my ear.

"…_Scarlet…_" I began to quiet my sobs and froze. It wasn't the voice of a spirit, but of someone else. "…_Hurry…to…my…office…_" I hesitated as the faint wind died, debating of leaving my friends.

_Celia…Lucentia…my best friends…what happened?_ I cried a while longer before gathering my strength to see the headmistress. I ran towards her office at the other end of the building, dodging falling pieces of the building. When I arrived, the doors were closed and my physical strength wasn't enough to open them. With the tingling still in my teeth, I decided to convert that energy into my wind magic. I raised my index and middle finger on each hand together, forming an "x" in front of the door. I closed my eyes and pulled the energy from my teeth and slowly dragged them into my hands. My hands began to tremble with the tingly sensation, but I didn't give up. I released the energy from my hands into a condensed, wind ball a few inches from my hand. My eyes slowly opened to see the ball in front of my hands. Without hesitation, I pulled my hands back, releasing the ball towards the door, pushing to open and allowing me in. The headmistress was on the floor, her face down and her gown spread out. There was more blood, which brought the tingling back in my teeth and more tears to my eyes. I ran to her and shook her.

"Headmistress, headmistress!" I shouted. With a moan, she opened her green eyes and looked at me. Normally they were bright and lively, but their color began to lose life, like its owner.

"…Scarlet…" she whispered, "…thank god they didn't get you…" She extended a shaky hand and placed it on my cheek. "…Why didn't…you transform?…"

"Who did this?" I said, ignoring her question while choking on my tears, holding her hand that stayed on my cheek. She shook her head and moved her hand from mine, placing the palm of it on my forehead.

"You must…go to a realm…called Magix…" she said weakly, "…Use the wind…to take you…to Alfea College…"

"Headmistress, you need your rest," I insisted, "I can even heal you with black magic if I have to."

"…It's too late…," she said, "…For the students…and the school…" New tears grew in my eyes as she continued. "…Find the headmistress…Faragonda…and tell her…about this…"

"Why don't I go to Aquila and-"

"Don't go." I bit my lips together and shook my head. "…They've already been there…it's gone…you can't go back…" I felt my heart banging so hard in my chest that it wanted to burst. I clenched my hands into fists, digging my fingernails into my skin. Eventually, I began to smell my own blood, which didn't help the tingling sensation.

"…Faragonda…must know…about everything…this incident…Aquila…and you…" My eyes grew wide.

"No," I said confused, "You don't mean telling her about-"

"Yes," she said, "Now…no more…I have to use…what energy I have…to send you to Magix…"

"Headmistress wait!" I shouted, but a sudden yellow light wrapped around me, pulling me in. I struggled against it, but there was no use. The light slowly took me in, closing up the entrance to the headmistress and pulled into another town, one I had never seen nor been in before. It spat me out and quickly closed, not giving me a chance to go back. I felt the presence of people seeing me and whispering about my dirty appearance…

But I didn't care.

I sat there in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at the street that once had the portal, and just breathing, thinking about everything I'd seen in such few minutes. The tingling in my teeth went away since I couldn't smell all that blood, but I knew I had my own on my hands. With out hesitation, I pulled one palm of my hand to my lips, but stopped.

_You can't use those healing spells. They're black magic_, I heard my father say years ago, _You can use it when at school or at home, but nowhere else_.

I pulled my hand down and fell onto the sidewalk, crying some more. I never thought that I could feel this much sadness, lost, and pain in one moment.

_Head to Alfea College. Find Headmistress Faragonda_.

I listened to the instructions over and over again to try and give me strength. "Maybe if I go there, I'll be able to go home." However, another instruction popped into my head.

_Don't go. They've already been there. It's gone._

"Aquila can't be defeated," I said to myself, "We're one of the strongest planets in the dimension." I slowly rose to my feet and wiped my face of the sweat and tears. I waved my hand in the air and felt the wind wrap around me. It felt different and unfamiliar as it lifted me off the floor.

"To Alfea College." The wind began to blow in a direction and I went along with it.

[From Alfea's campus…]

Girl's voice #1: Can you believe that this is our last year, guys?

Girl's voice #2: I can't believe you're excited about this, Bloom. I just see another year of school work, sleepless nights, and mysterious villain appearing.

Bloom: Come on, Stella. This is the last time we've gotta come to Alfea.

Girl's voice #3: I'm actually sad that this is it. We've had so many memories here.

Stella: Cheer up, Flora. After this, we'll be able to be full fledge guardian fairies.

Girl voice #4: Technically, we're guardian fairies now, but why does Ms. Faragonda want to teach us more things when we're at our strongest?

Bloom: I'm not sure, Tecna, but we should believe her if she thinks that we need more training.

Girl voice #5: I'm pretty good with anything. The specialists are here and so are we. Convenient, right?

Girl voice #6: Easy for you to say, Musa. My man is a wizard and is still working on his magic back on Andros.

Musa: Either way, Layla, we should make this year the best so we can graduate with flying colors.

All: Agreed.

(A sudden gust of winds brushes atop of their heads and they look up. They look up and see someone flying overhead)

Flora: What's that?

Tecna: (Pulls out a gadget and types) It's a girl, maybe she's a fairy, but I can't tell.

Stella: Well, duh, she doesn't have her wings on. We figured out that much.

Layla: Stella, really? Tecna's got a better shot of identifying her than any of us do.

Bloom: I wonder what she's doing here?

[Back to Scarlet…]

It was hard to stay focused, even if my eyes remained focused on a pink and blue building coming towards me. It definitely looked like a school, the students walking around the campus, teachers in their classrooms, nothing seemed out of place here.

I didn't lie to myself, I was jealous. Right below me was a group of what looked liked six girls, huddled together and talking, probably catching up from the summer. They made me realize that I no longer had the friendship they have because my friends and school within seconds was destroyed; and everyone here was happier than ever. But I took a deep breath and didn't allow for my jealousy to interfere with my mission.

"Take me to Headmistress Faragonda's office," I commanded my current. It swerved around and brought me to the biggest window, centered in the building on campus. I saw a large red chair with its back towards me and an office similar to the headmistress at my school. With a deep breath, I knocked on the window. The red chair spun towards me and in it was a lady with short white hair puffed on top of her head. Through her specks was a pair of blue eyes that was surprised at what she was looking at and quickly jumped out of her chair. She simply waved her hand, opening the large window that was as tall as ten of me standing on my shoulders, and placed each hand to either side of her mouth.

"Come in!" she shouted. Without hesitation, I lowered myself to level with the lady's floor. Once both feet were planted on the red wall-to-wall carpet, she placed and arm around my shoulders and guided me towards a chair across her desk.

"I must say," she began as she placed me in the chair, "you look like you've just seen a war." My eyes fell onto the carpet as I tried to fight back my tears. "Oh dear, I guess you might have." I still couldn't speak. I was afraid that if I did, I'd cry in agony and I didn't want to in front of a stranger. I head her "hmmm" to herself as she pressed a button that made a quiet buzz.

"Griselda," she said into the speaker, "Please come to my office and make some of that fabulous tea to relieve stress."

"Of course," said a harsh voice on the other end.

"Thank you." She released the button and sat down at her desk with a sigh. "Now, I won't ask you many questions if you're not in the mood to talk. However, you look like you've traveled far, so you can rest here until full recovery." I nodded, swallowing my tears. There was silence between us for a while, the voices of students laughing outside. Suddenly, the lady stood up and walked around towards the window. A gentle knock startled me, which had never happened before.

_I guess I'm a little on the edge_.

"Come in." I heard squeaky wheels and footsteps approaching from behind me as the lady smiled pleasantly. "Thank you Griselda."

"No problem, Faragonda."

"Faragonda?" I said, realizing that I'd totally forgetting about my mission. Stupid jealousy. "As in Headmistress Faragonda of Alfea College?"

"That's right," Faragonda said adjusting her specks, "Now have some tea. It'll help calm you down so you can explain what happened."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time," I said, raising from my seat, feeling the jealousy and tears leaving me. "I'm from the Inter-Realm Academy for Fairy Warriors and I was sent by Headmistress Isabella to talk to you and to tell you…" I felt my voice tightening as I remembered seeing all the bodies, the smoke, the blood. I shook my head and looked right at Faragonda's eyes. "To tell you…" My body began to shake as I fell back into my seat, my hands covering my mouth as I burst into tears yet again. I felt weak and helpless, two things I've never felt before. I felt a gentle hand on my forehead and saw through my eyes what I've seen at my now dead school. After seeing everything a second time, the hand was removed from my forehead. I looked up to see Faragonda lost in thought.

"Here," said the lady who I guessed was Griselda as she passed me a cup of her famous tea. She had shoulder length hair like mine, but was brown rather than black, and also wore glasses, but larger than Faragonda's. I nodded instead of saying thanks for my throat was still tight, but I stared at Faragonda. She paced back and forth until she approached a mirror and waved her hand across it.

"Just as I thought," she said. She turned to me and extended a hand towards her mirror. "Headmistress Isabella was right in that you cannot return to Aquila." I began to shake with my emotions overwhelming me to the point when my teacup clinked against the saucer repeatedly and loudly.

"I think you should take a sip of that to calm you down, trust me." I nodded and took a shaky sip. The tea was sweet and warm, which instantly stopped my shaking. _Trust_, I thought as I continued to drink the tea, _Ms. Isabella trusted her…_ I finished the cup of tea and sighed.

"Thank you," I said to Griselda as she poured me another cup.

"I'm not sure who or what attacked your school, but it's definitely a strong enemy. And judging by what she said and my lack to get in contact with anyone at Aquila, I'd say it's the same one." I nodded and began to drink my second cup, now for thirst, forgetting that all that running, screaming, crying, and blood made me incredibly thirsty.

"But I can't say for sure if the planet's destroyed or not." I stopped drinking and looked at her. "Basically there's a chance that everyone's alright and that they're just blocked in, but I'm not one hundred percent sure." I nodded again and continued drinking. Once I finished my second cup, a new thought swept over me.

"Ms. Faragonda," I said finally, "If I have no school and no home to return to, where do you suggest I should go?" Faragonda smiled and placed her hands onto my shoulders.

"You will stay here at Alfea and complete your training here, like Isabella said."

"B-but you've got a different curriculum than Inter-Realms, plus I'm a warrior fairy and an advisor to the royal family. How can I complete that by starting my four years over again? How-"

"Hush now!" Shouted Griselda. I cringed at her screeching and apologized while Faragonda smiled and sat back in her red chair.

"Don't worry about repeating any years," she assured, "You were a senior at Inter-Realms, so I'll place you as a senior here." I nodded, secretly relieved that I didn't have to repeat anything. "But I must ask a few questions about you and your magic level."

"Certainly," I said.

"Now you are a fairy, are you not?" Faragonda asked.

"Yes, I'm a fairy, a wind fairy to be precise."

"Good, we like precise." I smiled for the first time in front of her, feeling a small joy in pleasing someone. "Have you ever heard of a fairy gaining her 'charmix'?"

"Of course," I said, "I gained it sophomore year." Faragonda smiled.

"Very good. So it won't be so bad work wise. Now what about your enchantix?" I took a deep breath and did my best to smile. Without speaking, Faragonda nodded. "You haven't gotten it yet. I see." I shook my head.

"It's not like that." I dusted off my dark jean skirt, though it didn't do much. "Headmistress Isabella also said…that I should tell you…of a…condition I have."

"Oh?" Faragonda and Griselda said together, looking from one another then back at me. I took a deep breath and quietly told them quietly, hoping that no snoopy student is listening beyond the doors. Faragonda and Griselda listened closely and waited until I was finish before one of them spoke.

"That is true," Griselda said, "It would nearly impossible to get your enchantix with that condition." Faragonda shot her a glare that I read as "Don't say such things." However, she turned back to me and smiled.

"Actually, nothing's impossible. There's a student here when you were a freshman that had lost her powers to these witches and she looked deep within herself to actually re-find her powers. Another student of ours also was able to survive after sacrificing herself in the O-Mega dimension. I think that there is still hope for you to gain your enchantix." For the first time, I actually felt hopeful. If I can get my enchantix, I can help my people on Aquila. That sounded like a good plan.

"But gaining it will be very difficult," Faragonda pointed out, "Especially since you've got the power level of an enchantix." She paused for a second, lost in her thoughts. "You appear to be at the same level as six of our now seniors." She paused for a moment and muttered, "Good thing I decided to keep them an extra year." Her eyes fell upon mine and smiled as she stood up and walked towards me, pulling me out of my seat.

"It's settled. You'll stay here and finish your fairy training here. And don't worry about your condition. I'm sure it'll help you out with your classes."

"I hope so." She pointed at my clothes, cleaning it to make it look like I hadn't stumbled into a bloody war and guided me out of her office and lead me though many hallways. The walls were pink with embroidered green and blue designs. I stared in amazement, comparing it to the memory of Inter-Realms. It didn't take long to reach the main courtyard, which was empty to my surprise. I looked through the windows and saw many of them were filled with teachers and students.

"Many of our girls are in classes, out in magix, studying, or getting ready," Faragonda said as if reading my expression.

"Ready for what?" I asked. She laughed.

"Well surely you've had a new school year party." I blinked for a second, remembering that I'd just bought a dress and shoes for Jeremy to see at Inter-Realms party. I sighed.

"Yes. I actually had something, but along wit the rest of my stuff, it's gone and ruined." Faragonda placed a confident, yet secretive grin on her face.

"Well, I'm sure your going to find something to wear, but in the meantime, since you've got a good connection with the wind spirits, you might want to connect with Magix's."

"I agree," I said, "When I came here though my current, I swear, I thought I was going to scream from the unfamiliarity." Suddenly, I began to giggle. "It was really weird."

"I'm sure that you're going to be fine here." I stopped laughing and stared at the grass. "I'll be in my office or around school if you need me." She began to head back inside, but then stopped and turned around.

"By the way," she said, "Have you heard of pixies?" I nodded.

"I have, but I don't have one. Again, condition." Faragonda smiled.

"I'll let you be then. After the party tonight I'll give you a room and a schedule for this year."

"Thank you." She turned around and took a few stops before stopping again.

"Sorry, I realized that I didn't ask for your name?" I blushed in feeling so stupid as to not mention my name.

"Scarlet," I said, "Scarlet Avila." Faragonda nodded and walked inside, leaving me alone on the Alfea campus.

[Meanwhile…]

(Out in a mysterious place, a mysterious voice echoes through the hall)

Mysterious Voice (MV): Inter-Realms didn't have her. I could have sworn that Isabella was hiding her from everyone, including me. (sighs) Well it doesn't matter. (pauses) Maybe a connection of hers has what I'm looking for… (chuckles to himself)…that would be helpful…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Winx Club

"Better do what I'm out here to do," I said. I took a deep breath and stood there, eyes closed and ears open. I heard the wind blow normally, not knowing my presence as it brushed past me. Quickly, my ears picked up an ancient song in the wind's breeze, giving the beat and rhythm to move the same way as it was. I put my magic to work and danced within its current. I could feel the Magix wind spirits questioning my presence and actions, but as my dancing partnered with their wind patterns, they easily continued and I followed. The tune of the gentle breeze was like wind chimes and water droplets falling gracefully; I felt through my ears the sound of wind instruments playing. As our dancing continued and the spirits began to feel comfortable with my presence, I opened my mouth and began to sing on "ah" the tune. Again, the spirits were unsure of what I was doing, but after a while, they understood that I was performing the ritual to connect myself to them. Singing and dancing was the best way for me to feel comfortable in a new place. Eventually, the wind spirits in the Realm of Magix accepted me by wrapping themselves around me, ending their ancient song, and gently helped me to the ground.

"Thank you," I said to wind spirits before they left.

"_You're most welcome. We are obliged_." I felt pleased with my accomplishments and took a deep breath.

"Well, now that I'm on good term with them, I'll just-" a sudden clapping erupted from behind me. I turned my head and saw a girl with long, black pigtails clapping her hands together. She wore a teal tub tunic sweater that had and orange-red belt loosely hung on her hip. On her arms were matching, but separate sleeves that matched her teal top. She had on tight blue jeans along with matching sneakers. I felt my heart beat loudly in panic. Did she see me do that? Does she think I'm weird? All these questions were rolling though my mind as she walked towards me.

_Oh god! She's coming this way!_

"Wow, that was amazing singing!" she said with the widest smile on her face. Her hands were laced together and she leaned in towards me. "And that dancing totally matched the music. You were fantastic." I looked around and tucked one of my short black hair strains behind my ear.

"Umm…thanks," I said, though in a confused tone.

"How'd you do that?" she asked in amazement, "I've heard and learned many different songs, but I've never heard that one ever." I felt a little surprised. Everyone in Aquila knew the traditional songs, and I even knew the ones at Inter-Realms. How could people here not know their realm's traditional songs? Or at least one of them.

"W-well," I began, "I just listen at first, but then once I hear the beat, I dance with the spirits. Then I-"

"Wait wait wait a sec," the girl interrupted, "Spirits? Like ghosts?" I began to laugh and shook my head. She seemed a little offended, which made me stop immediately.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. I'm so used to them that I forgot others aren't." The girl looked at me with her bright blue eyes and smiled.

"It's okay. So what're these spirits?"

"Wind spirits," I answered, "I'm a wind fairy."

"That's so cool. I'm a music fairy. That's why I'm so interested in that song." I felt a smile curl on my lips.

"Actually, each basic element has spirits. And each one in different realms has a different ancient song."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"By the way," she leaned in closer to my face, "You're eyes look silver. Is that even possible?"

"Maybe, but I've always saw my eyes as a bright grey rather than silver. I've got my mom's hair and my dad's eyes. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Definitely." The two of us began to walk around campus, talking about family, music, wind, dancing, anything that came up really. I didn't fell so nervous anymore, and talking to her was a great way to distract me from the academy.

"Hey, you just go here, right?" she asked me. After I nodded, she continued, "I don't think I saw you walk in. My friends and I were by the gate and not many people walked in."

"I came here though my own wind current."

"Your what?"

"Wind current. It's easy, really. I just create a current by using the wind created by the spirits and that leads me to where I wanna go. Makes sense?"

"I guess. So you asked it to take you to Alfea?"

"Yep, then to the headmistresses office." The girl thought for a bit before her face looked suddenly surprised.

"Oh my god! We saw you!"

"What?"

"We saw you flying in the air. We were trying to figure out what you were, but we dropped the subject and moved on."

"Oh…"Suddenly, I heard a cool ringtone come out of her pocket. She answered it, said a few "uh-huh's" and hung up.

"That was Layla," The girl said, "I'm picking the music out for the party and she's gonna help me out. She's one of the best dancers at Alfea." I felt a little sad to hear that come out of her mouth, but I smiled and said, "That's awesome. I'm sure you're gonna pick the best songs for the party."

"I'll do my best. Oh, god, I never asked you your name."

"I'm Scarlet."

"My name's Musa. I'll see you at the party then." She waved bye to me and ran back towards the school building. I waved until she was gone and continued on walking. Eventually, the memories of Lucentia and Celia crept into my mind. I thought about the past open-year parties we had since elementary school and how this was suppose to be the greatest one. And Jeremy. I was suppose to have him for the first time this year. My vision became blurry again and tears began to fall. I fell to my knees and began to cry again, feeling mad, upset, and jealous.

"Why?" I began to mumble with tears and agony, "Why did this happen? And why am I so different that I can't accomplish even the normal? Why? WHY!?"

"You can accomplish the normal, it's just you haven't found the right motivation to achieve it." I stopped crying and looked up. I didn't see anyone around me, unless trees were talking. But trees don't use words. "Besides, you're at Alfea, so you'll achieve anything if you put your mind to it.

_It's coming from above me?_

I looked up and saw a very very small person sitting on a branch. Her wings twitched as she thought, splashing away the glitter that was building on her wings. My eyes grew wide as I stared at the creature, her hair was a light light blonde like my dad and had dark dark, almost black eyes like my mom. I looked away from her and rubbed my eyes.

_Wait a minute, I've got short black hair and grey eyes. This girl has long fine blone hair like dad's and almost black eyes like mom._ I looked back up at her as she sighed. _Should I say something_? I looked straight ahead and brought my knees to my chest.

"I hope you're right," I said.

"I know I'm right."

_Such confidence._ "You seem a little down," I said, changing subjects, "Anything I can say to make it feel better?" The girl sighed. I heard a little jingle and noticed her lowering herself to my level. _Oh my god, she's a pixi. I wonder who she belongs to…_

"I've been a pixi for quite some time I've been searching for my bonded fairy," she began, "But, all of my friends have found their fairies two years ago, then other pixies my age found theirs last year, and now I'm the only one left. You think you can't complete the normal task? I can't even do my life-long goal!" She began to pout and cry. I jumped back by the sudden tears that fell out of her large black eyes. Her wings looked as if they belonged to a dragonfly (a very small one, though) and shown off different colors in the sunlight. She had a red ribbon tied in her blond hair, matching her little red skirt. The pixi's shirt was a long white bell sleeve that matched her little boots. It was weird, looking at this pixi and feeling like I just wanted to comfort her. I reached out and gently placed my finger on her small shoulder.

"It's alright," I said, "I'm sure you'll find your fairy."The little pixi looked up at me and sniffled.

"B-but, you've got a pixi already, so of course you'll say that."

"Actually I don't." The pixi paused, blinking her tears away. "Because of a condition I have, I can't have a bonded pixi." I tried to laugh. "I can't even gain my enchantix because of it." The pixi continued to stare at me, making me feel a little odd, causing me to think there was something on my face.

"Condition?" she repeated. "What is it?" I shook my head.

"It's no big deal to me, really, but to other creatures and people, it's the worst thing ever." The pixi sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." There was a pause as I heard the wind blowing a tune in the trees.

"You know," I said, not realizing I was even speaking, "If you never find a fairy and give up, you can always tag along with me since I can't get one the traditional way." The pixi shook her head.

"It's not the same." She looked at me again with a questioning look and placed her chin between her index finger and thumb, placing her other hand on her hip. "I gotta go." And with that, she quickly flew away. I leaned my head on the tree and looked up at it, watching it sway, listening to the song the wind spirits sing.

[Later that day, around before the party started…]

My feet were sort of tired from walking around the school, exploring it and meeting new teachers. I wasn't able to find Faragonda to ask her about my room and what to wear to the party. I knocked on her office door once, but Griselda answered, saying the Headmistress was out on business with the two other schools, none of which I could remember the names of. Then the second time I stopped by the office, Griselda was still there, so when I reached the door a third time, I decided to ask Griselda my questions if Faragonda wasn't in. I knocked on the door and she allowed me to enter. When I pushed open the door, I saw Ms. Faragonda sitting at her desk, adjusting her glasses, looking upset like she'd seen something dreadful. Once she saw me, she straightened up and smiled.

"Hello, Scarlet. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanna know where my room is and what I can wear to the party."

"That's right," she said, rising from her desk, "I was going to tell you after the party but I guess now will be fine. Follow me please." She led me though more hallways and corridors until I was at a tall green door that looked more like it's wrapped in plants rather than just a regular door. On the other side, I heard many girls laughing and talking about things that I couldn't hear. I felt my heart sink, remembering that I was suppose to room with Celia and Lucentia rather than total strangers.

"Missing your old roommates?" Faragonda asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I opened my mouth to try and say no, but my memories were too painful to deny, so I nodded. "I see. Well, a girl in there was new here two years ago and she thought that she wasn't going to fit in, but these girls were so welcoming that she felt right at home." I stared at the door, lost in thought before realizing something.

"Miss," I said, "The other two fairies you mentioned, the one who lost her power and the other who survived the O-Mega dimension, are they also in the same group?" Faragonda smiled.

"My, you pick things up quickly." I placed a proud smile on my face.

"My dad taught me well. I'm suppose to advise the princess this year and I've gotta be alert." Faragonda laughed.

"You'll be fine. And if you haven't figured it out, these girls are the six seniors I mentioned earlier that have the same magic level as you." I took a deep breath and nodded. I didn't know what else to do except brace myself for the worst. Faragonda knocked on the door and the girls whispered and hushed quietly. Eventually, the door opened and a girl with orange-red hair behind it, peeking through.

"Ms. Faragonda," she said, surprised that the headmistress was at her door.

"Hello, Bloom. Is it alright for me to come in?" Bloom stepped aside and opened the door wider.

"Sure thing." Faragonda went in first and I followed her close behind. Within the six girls, I recognized Musa, who smiled her big smile and walked forward.

"Scarlet, what're you doing here?" she asked.

"A very good question, Musa," Faragonda said, "I would normally bring you girls to my office, but I believe that it would be better for me to come here under certain circumstances, plus I've got some things coming in my office that isn't for students eyes just yet."

"Getting new furniture, Ms. Faragonda? About time," said a blonde girl in a green-pink, candy-wrapper dress. Faragonda adjusted her glasses and coughed politely.

"No, Stella. Now, like I was saying, this is Scarlet, a transfer from the Inter-Realm Academy. Her school, along with (I believe) all of the students and faculty, was destroyed."

"Destroyed?" said a girl with dark brown curly hair. She wore a lot of accessories that a dancer would wear, making me wonder if maybe she was Layla, the girl Musa mentioned.

"Destroyed as in dead, Layla."

_Bingo!_

"Anyway girls, luckily Scarlet was out in town and missed the attack, but was too late to save anyone."

"That's horrible," said a girl in pink. She had different shades of pink and red that matched her tan complexion.

"Indeed it was, Flora, for Scarlet even had to witness the death of her headmistress and is now required to fulfill her last wishes."

"That's gotta be hard," said a girl that looked to me as if she was pulled in from the future. "What were her last wishes?"

"Well, Tecna, it was for Scarlet to come to Alfea and finish her training to become a full fledged fairy," Faragonda answered.

"But isn't that Academy full of warriors?" Stella asked, making a face, "Shouldn't she just go home?"

"Stella!" Everyone said, causing her to pull back and make an apologetic face.

"She can't return home because we don't know if her home planet of Aquila is alive or dead."

"Dead?" Bloom repeated. Faragonda nodded.

"There's a magical barrier not allowing anyone or thing in or out. Now, the point of this story: Scarlet needs a place to stay for the rest of the year. I'm assigning her here with you girls, so please look out for her."

"We definitely will Ms. Faragonda," Musa said behind me.

"Glad to hear it. See you at the party." I wanted to run out with her, but the door closed shut and I felt everyone's eyes on me. I turned around and bit my lower lip.

"So this is Scarlet that I mentioned earlier. We saw her when we were by the gate, remember? She actually danced and sang with wind spirits and she's not bad either." Musa said, giving me a fancy introduction.

"I would love to see that dance," Layla said, "Could you show it to me sometime?" I stared from her to Musa and back, not really sure what I should say.

"Umm…sure, I mean, it might a little hard, but I'm sure you can handle it."

"That'll be great."

"So you're from the planet Aquila?" Tecna asked. I nodded. "I know that wind is their main source of power. Is it efficient enough to power up a %&$*&$*&$?" I blinked at her and shook my head.

"I'm really sorry," I said to her, "but I have no idea what you just asked." Tecna blushed a little and shook her head.

"No, it's my fault. It's only logical that certain people can't understand computer talk."

"All except for Timmy, right, Tecna?" Stella asked. Tecna's face grew so red and mad that I thought she'd kill Stella. "Well it's obvious that that's how you two got together, I mean techno-geeks, right?" She looked on over at me and placed an arm around my shoulders. "Do you have a boyfriend, Scarlet?" I looked into Stella's light brown eyes and then at the floor. The thought of Jeremy popped into my head and I felt horrible again.

"Stella!" Flora shouted, "can't you see that the death _of everyone at her school_ has taken a lot out of her today?" Stella realized what she said and combed her hair with her fingers.

"I'm sorry, but I wanted to know."

"Man, Stella, you're all about the guys," Musa commented.

"Yeah, guys and clothes," Bloom added.

"What can I say? Those are my two favorite topics."

"Actually." Everyone looked as me as I forced a smile on my face and held back my tears. "I did have one. His name was Jeremy." I began to think about his beautiful face and described it to them. "He had brown eyes and brown hair, a matching set. He was muscular too, and really good with a sword. He was what every girl wanted, but he chose me." I actually laughed. "We got together last year and this party was gonna be our first together, but I guess that's not gonna happen." Everyone remained silent, staring at me as if I was crazy. Suddenly, Stella came up to me and hugged me.

"It must have been hard to lose someone you liked and see them dead." I returned her hug and pulled her back.

"Luckily, I didn't see him, but I saw my best friends dead, next to my torn up clothes and the new dress and shoes I was gonna wear, which I now remember I left behind." I tried to make it seem like I had moved on, but Bloom and Stella hugged me instead.

"No matter how long ago it was," Bloom began, "When you lose someone, it hurts." I nodded.

"Hey, I've got an idea," Tecna said, snapping her fingers. She pulled out a circular techo-thing and pressed a button, allowing a ladybug gadget to fly towards me. "Think of that dress and shoes you bought." I thought about the silver two piece and the shoes. I remembered the silky texture and how amazing I was gonna look in it. The ladybug released a beam and scanned my face a few times before returning to its home. Once the lid closed, an image of my outfit appeared clearly. My jaw dropped at the sight of its accurateness. It was like a smaller version of what I bought. Tecna placed a triumphant smile on her face.

"This is it, right?"

"Yeah," I said, "Completely." She walked over into another section of the room, the one I guessed was her room, and I followed. The room I walked in was full of techo-gadgets, music sheets, instruments, and dance outfits scattered across a bed.

"Sorry for the mess," Layla said, "I was trying to find something to wear for the party, but wasn't having any luck."

"Hey Scarlet," Tecna called, "Over here." I walked on over to Tecna's computer, seeing on her screen an outline of my outfit along with way too many numbers. "Watch this." She placed one hand on her screen and the other towards me. With a spark in her eyes, I saw a green glow wrap around her hand on the screen and then travel through her upper body to the hand facing me. Suddenly, I felt the green glow hit me, eating away the clothes I was wearing, and began digitally putting on the dress for me. The digital squares tickled as they traced down my body from neck to toe and it wasn't long before they were replaced by a silky texture that went on the parts of my body that it was suppose to go on, thus (in the end) completely dressing me in my new dress, shoes and all. My eyes grew wide in astonishment as my eyes remained on my outfit, then slowly lifted to see Tecna at her grinning smile.

"It fits too, right?" I nodded.

"But where're my other clothes?" I asked worried that I'd lost one of my favorite outfits. Tecna clenched her fist and opened it, digitally restoring my clothes and boots.

"Right here. I just transferred them, that's all." My lips grew into a wide smile as Stella's eyes began to twinkle.

"Wow, Tecna, I think you've come up with the best way to wear clothes and I don't even have to pay anything for it." Tecna glared at her.

"Stella," she explained, "It's more complicated than that. Plus Scarlet's dress was already bought by her. I can't just steal dresses from the internet." Stella began to pout.

"That's a beautiful dress," Flora commented, "It fits you perfectly." I couldn't help but smile.

"Do you guys know what you're gonna where to the party?" I asked. Stella flicked her long blonde hair before answering.

"Forget it, I have no idea which dress would suite best. Plus, it has to make me look perfect for Brandon."

"Brandon?" I asked, "Is he your boyfriend?" Musa placed a hand on my shoulder, shaking her head.

"Shouldn't have asked." Stella spun around and grabbed my hands.

"Brandon is just the hottest specialists at Red Fountain. He's super cute and strong and he's just head over heals for me." I really didn't know how to respond to that, so I just smiled (though I felt like a complete idiot. All I'd been doing is nodding and smiling).

"So do you all have boyfriends?" I asked, trying to hear other people's stories rather than just Stella's.

"Well, I guess you can say yeah," Bloom said after thinking about it. I felt my heart twist itself into a knot, agonizing how out of place I was. These girls had been together for the past two, three years and out of nowhere, I appear. I did my best to smile as I tried to think of Jeremy before his death, trying to make myself seem like I still had a living boyfriend.

"That's so cool. So are they also specialists like Brandon?"

"All except my fiancée," Layla said pointing to herself. I felt my jaw dropping.

"Fiancée?" I repeated, "But you're still in school here. Is that even allowed."

"It's not written anywhere that it isn't," Tecna answered, "Many of the fairies that come here are princesses and are bound to marry someone soon."

"Is that so?" I asked, thinking about how Princess Kayla wasn't engaged to anyone.

"Yeah, and our Bloom here was asked to marry prince-now-king Sky of Eraklyon just earlier this summer."

"Really? Congratulations," I said. Bloom rubbed the back of her head and giggled.

"Well, it's still pretty new, and I still have to get my planet back together, so hopefully he'll help me with that." I must have had a confused expression on my face because Bloom placed her hand over her mouth. "Oh sorry, I'm used to people knowing about me and Domino."

"You mean the deserted planet that was destroyed many years ago?" I asked.

"That's the one," Bloom said with a grin, "This whole summer was bringing the planet back together and bonding with my birthparents." I stared at her in amazement. I remember reading about the lost princess of Domino, but never really thought that it was true. "Yeah, I was actually sent to another planet when I was younger, so I've got adoptive parents as well. And the best part is that they get along with my birthparents and are willing to let me spend some time there and back." I nodded as she continued on about her past, trying my best to keep up. Eventually, Musa clapped her hands to silence everyone in the room.

"Enough talk about that past. We've got a party coming up and not all of us have something to wear."

"That's true," Layla said, "And we're beginning to run out of time."

"I'm open for suggestions," Bloom offered, look over at me, since I was the only one dressed and ready to go. I thought for a moment before remembering something I'd suggested with Celia and Lucentia many years ago.

"How about wearing the outfits you wore to your first opening party at Alfea?" I suggested, "That way it's sort of like a closing and how much has happened over the years." The girls thought about it for a while.

"That does seem logical," Tecna finally said, "I haven't worn that dress since the opening party freshman year."

"And I don't think Riven has seen me in that traditional Melody dress," Musa thought aloud.

"My first outfit was messed up clothes," Layla said before laughing, "I'm guessing that would be a bad choice." They continued to think about it before Stella shouted, "ENOUGH ALREADY!" quieting everyone down.

"Look, I have a rule that when it comes to Brandon, I never wear the same dress twice…but I'll make an exception this time." She waved her hand and starting from the top of her head, a glittered circle lowered over Stella body, replacing the candy-wrapper dress with an orange, blue gown with many swirls and designs.

"That's beautiful," I said, staring at the dress.

"Thank you, Scarlet. It was my favorite dress freshman year." Tecna turned back towards the computer and typed swiftly across the keys.

"I didn't bring my dress, but I think I can digitally send it." She placed one hand on the screen and the other high above her head. I saw the green glow and watched in amazement as a futuristic dress with a large back neck collar with the outside of the dress falling behind her replaced her simple purple outfit. It was like a cape in that it was attached to a light purple mini-dress, but either way I was impressed.

"Hey Scarlet," Musa called out, "What do you think of this?" She pulled out a long red dress that looked exactly like dresses I'd read about in Melody's cultural book. It also had a huge back neck collar like Tecna's but it was more traditional than futuristic.

"That's beautiful too," I said, walking towards it and examining a sleeve.

"Scarlet." I turned my head and saw Flora wearing a hot-pink dress laced with many thing green vines. The green vines were also able to make a simple headpiece band around her forehead. "Do you think that-"

"Is that alive?" I interrupted, amazed that this dress looked more like a slim flower than anything else. Flora laughed.

"No way. It's just a copy of it. I won't dream of wearing real vines. That could hurt."

"I know that," I said, "Once, my friend Celia was eager to wear a real flower to one of the open parties and when she was able to do it, but she ended up scratching herself the whole night." Everyone laughed with me.

"That's very bold of her," Flora said, "By the way, do you think that you'll like it here at Alfea?" I looked from her to everyone else, not sure if I should answer honestly or just lie to keep the mood light.

"I think I will," I said, making it a half lie. Academically it'll be great, but socially, I was worried. I hated to force myself in a group that was made years before. It just didn't feel right.

"Well let's get dressed or we'll be late," Bloom suggested. Everyone agreed and got ready. I helped Layla pick a light green, short-sleeved dress with a thick, dark green ribbon wrapped around her waist. I also pulled out some sandals from her closet to go with it and she seemed pleased. Once she was dressed she spoke.

"You know, I was totally terrified of this group when I first came here."

"Group?" She stopped looking at herself in the mirror and faced me.

"Yeah. We're the Winx Club. It's not like an after school club, but it's a unity name for us because we always do everything together." I pinched my lips together, feeling myself getting deeper in a social hole that I didn't want to be in.

"I remember when I took my first convergent class with them, I felt so out of place. I was partnered with Musa and apologized to her about her not being with her group. Then there was a point when Stella said five rather than six and I completely lost it and ran away from them."

"That would suck," I said, rummaging through her hair clips and accessories, trying to distract my mind from wanting to runaway myself.

"But I realized something." My eyes wondered to her teal colored eyes as a smile grew on her face. "If anyone is placed in this room, it must be for a reason. And that reason is because you're suppose to belong here with us." I looked down at the floor, feeling that Layla just didn't seem to understand.

"He girlies!" Stella shouted though the doorway, "Let's go!" Layla began to leave, but I quickly tapped her shoulder.

"What was your reason for joining?" I asked. Layla thought for a moment before answering.

"I'm the princess of Andros and I was completely isolated. I had a friend that soon moved away and I became really lonely. The reason, though, was because I didn't want to be alone anymore." I nodded and thought about what she'd said. She looped her arm through mine and began to drag me out of the room.

"Why don't you ask the others why they joined? Maybe that way you'll feel that you're not alone."

"That sounds like a good plan," I said. I quickly dropped her arm and walked over to Musa.

"Hey Musa?"

"Hmmm?"

"Umm, I know this might be a stupid question, but why did you join the Winx Club?" I could tell that Musa was taken back by my sudden question.

"Well, Bloom made it up freshman year since we did a lot of stuff together, but the reason why I stayed…" she thought about it as we all walked towards the party area. "…I'd say the reason I stayed was because I believed that we worked well as a team and that it'd be great to be a part of that. Of course it grew into something else as time passed." I nodded and compared Layla's reason with Musa's.

"Is there any reason why you're asking?" Musa asked with a little sly tone in her voice. I stopped thinking and shook my head. She sighed and looked forward. "Because if you're thinking about wanting to join, then you should definitely ask us."

"Why?"

"Because we'd say yes without hesitation."

"I'm not sure about that, Musa. You shouldn't take people in so easily." Before Musa could respond, we arrived to the party, full of floral designs, great music, amazing lights, and lots of fairies. Stella began to pout.

"The specialists aren't here yet!"

"They'll be here," Bloom assured. I looked at her dress that was also covered in navy ribbons and cut similarly to mine. Once she noticed I was staring she blushed a little.

"I sorta made this last minute as a freshman. I was very new at this and got this on sale."

"Don't worry you look great," I said, "Plus, I got mine on sale too. I forgot to get a nice dress to wear for Jeremy this year, so this outfit was very last minute." Bloom's smile disappeared, which concerned me a little.

"Do you miss him?" She asked. I felt what little good feelings I had be taken over by the sad feelings again. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"I miss him, and my best friends, Celia and Lucentia. The three of us were like you six, inseparable, worked well together, got along, you name it. And although I miss them, I just…" I looked at her, feeling my vision clouding up. "I just want to forget the pain and start anew here."

"Scarlet…" I shook my head, wiping the tears away.

"I'll be alright. Go hang out with everyone else. I'll be right back." Before Bloom could say anything, I turned around and left the party room, trying my best to find a way outside. After walking through this maze of a school, I found one of the side entrances to the campus grounds. As soon as I opened the door, I felt the night breeze brush against my cheek. Already, I began to feel at ease, but I knew I wasn't ready to go back inside, so I decided to walk around campus for while. As I walked, I thought about what I should do next. I obviously felt uncomfortable being with the Winx Club, so maybe I should talk to Faragonda about switching roommates. But they seemed really nice and they were at the same magic level as me, which is useful and helpful. But then there's the fact that they have their enchantix and I've got a condition that would probably make them think I'm a monster. I knew that fairies and witches never worked well together, so maybe they'd think I was a witch. Many questions began to stir in my mind as I recognized that I was walking in the same area that Musa and I'd walked on earlier. I sighed again and just walked forward, lost in thought.

Hours passed and I still didn't go inside. Instead, I walked around the school in many circles, rode in a wind current a few times, and did a little dancing with the spirits to try and cheer me up, but nothing would work. I remembered my mom telling me never to force yourself to do something that you don't want to do because the outcome is never pretty. Suddenly, I began to think about mom and dad and Aquila.

_I hope they're alright. At least we're not sure if they're really gone officially, so there's some hope…a little…_ I began to cry again, feeling more pathetic than ever. _Man, all I do is cry. That's not gonna solve anything._ I dried away the tears and took a deep breath. _Besides, I cried a lot today, so let's just relax and walk around until I feel like going back in._ I began to feel better as I kept telling myself that I did mourn and now I've gotta focus on other things. _So I'll just talk to Ms. Faragonda and-_

There was a sudden rustle in front of me that made me jump.

_Guess I'm not alone_. I walked quietly towards where the sound came from and slowly began to see a figure of a person leaning against a tree. Sometimes, once in a new moon, my vision becomes really good at night. A little advantage of my condition I guess. However, the new moon was not to occur for another several days or so, which made me pout. _It's funny how when I actually need something from this condition, I can't use it_. Inhaling quietly, I slowly approached the figure. As I got closer, I noticed the Alfea outdoor lights coming on, illuminating the whole campus. I quickly hid behind a tree and peeked over the left side.

I thought I felt my heart bang harshly against my chest.

Leaning against the tree was a guy, who looked about my age, looking rather annoyed. I watched him as he ran his fingers through his black hair, or was it black? Maybe it's an extremely dark brown. Either way, it suited him. I was too far to see his eyes, but judging by his height against the tree, he was really tall…like six foot four. He appeared closer to the pixi branch than I was earlier that day, but either way, I continued to stare. I felt all of my sadness and worries go away as I just watched him, looking upset, annoyed, frustrated, something of the three, but I couldn't tell. It was intriguing to watch him. Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked me out over and pushed me out of my hiding spot, causing me to gasp a little too loudly. I looked on over at where I stood, not sensing a wind spirit, and looked in front of me, noticing that the guy was looking in my direction. I felt my body temperature increase drastically as I quickly tried to think of an excuse for being here.

"Sorry, I didn't think anyone was here…Umm, well, you see, I was walking around lost in thought and didn't see you there…sorry." The guy shrugged his shoulders, stood up, and walked towards me. As he walked, I noticed he was wearing a navy and beige uniform that resembled something a racecar driver would wear with a royal blue cape flowing behind him, held together by a red glow clip. _Maybe he's a specialist, like Stella's boyfriend._ I thought he was going to walk right by me, but he stopped. My eyes slid to the left to look at his beautiful face as he stared forward, his ice blue eyes looking out into space rather than in front of him.

"That's alright," he said in a smooth voice that sent a chill through my skin, "I was leaving anyway." He began to walk away when his footsteps had stopped. "It's odd seeing a fairy not partying." I turned around and noticed he was facing me this time. I held my breath as I tried to think of something.

"I'm just not in the mood for a party," I replied, "You?" He shrugged.

"I don't like parties. Too crowded. No one knows if I'm even there or not, so why bother?" I did my best to hide a smile that was creeping through my lips.

"I think people know if you're not there or not. You're sorta hard to miss." He shrugged again.

"Then shouldn't you go inside? Since people'll notice you're missing." I shook my head.

"I'm new here. Just transferred." There was a pause, our eyes still looking into one anothers. I felt my heart beginning to beat loudly in my chest like a panic signal. Finally, he turned his head to look through one of the windows.

"Guess I'll go back." He said turning around, continuing in the direction he was going in earlier. I turned around as well and decided to continue walking. Before I took the first step, he spoke again. "You should head back as well. There're fairies in there that are looking like they're missing someone." I whipped my head around and I noticed that he was gone.

_Fairies looking for someone? That couldn't be the Winx Club, could it?_ I followed the direction the guy went in and found another door that led back inside. Without thinking or questioning my actions, I went in and followed the sound of music coming from the party. As I walked, I began to question what I was doing. "What if it wasn't them?" was the main one, but a part of me wanted to know because if they were…then there might be hope for me to be in this group and not feel like an outsider anymore. When I entered the party, I couldn't find one of them. I began to walk around, bashing into dancers and other fairies and guys wearing the same uniform as the guy I met outside. _Guess he was a specialist._

"Scarlet!" I looked in front of me and suddenly saw a body flinging itself onto me. Luckily, she wasn't as powerful as Celia, so I didn't fall down, but I was surprised. "We've been looking all over for you."

"Flora?" I guessed. Flora let me go and smiled, placing on hand over her chest.

"We were so worried about you."

"What?"

"There you are." I turned around and found Tecna with a gadget in her hand. "We've been looking all over for you." She showed me the gadget, revealing a map of Alfea and a red dot blinking, which I guessed was me. "You kept on moving around campus in such a funny manor that we couldn't keep up."

"Bloom said that you left the party as soon as you came and you were crying," Flora said, "Once she told us, we tried to find you." I stared from her and Tecna, not knowing what to say. It felt so unreal.

"You didn't have to," I managed to say, not bursting into tears of joy.

"Scarlet!" I turned to my right and saw Musa and Layla running towards me, Musa crashing into me with another hug. "We were so worried. Why'd you leave?" I couldn't find the words to answer her question. I looked from her to Layla, who hugged me as well saying, "Well, at least you came back before the party ended, and that's what counts." I was about to speak when a loud voice caught my attention.

"THERE SHE IS!" I looked to my left and saw Stella storming towards me, Bloom close behind. Once she was in front of me, I noticed that she was mad. "What happened to you? I lost precious Brandon time because I had to look for you. You were fine when you left. What happened?" I suddenly realized that the whole Winx Club had surrounded me in the center of the party. Bloom extended a hand and placed it on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I must have said something to offend you." I quickly shook me head.

"No you didn't," I said, I paused for a second, collecting my thoughts, "It just that…I'd lost everything in one day. My planet and family's held hostage, my school's destroyed along with my fellow classmates and boyfriend, but what hurts the most was losing my best friends."

"That's only natural, Scarlet," Flora said, trying to comfort me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I know it is. Just like it's natural to be jealous of you guys." All six of them gasped and muttered "Huh?", "What?", and "You're kidding." under their breaths. I smiled as I continued. "You guys know exactly what you have is special, and I don't want to be in the way of that."

"You feel that you're in the way?" Musa said, totally surprised, "It's only been one day. You haven't had time to be in anyone's way."

"And you're not a burden," Tecna added, "We've all stayed together because we felt a bond through each other that we seemed to notice over time, and judging by my calculations, you definitely belong in that bond."

"That's right," Bloom said, grabbing my hands. "And the only reason we feel and notice this bond is because we grew stronger, and because of that, we can feel when a person belongs with us, and we feel it bringing you in." My eyes grew wide in shock, feeling thrilled that they wanted me, but another part wondered if they're saying this just to make me feel better. Bloom placed a hand over her heart.

"I believe that we, the Winx Club, feel that you are not an outsider, but one of us. A Winx."

"Are you sure you want to say that after meeting and knowing me for a day?" I asked. Stella made a tsking sound.

"Dear Scarlet, if there's one thing we Winx girls are good at, besides girls who kick butt and girls who look fabulous, is our judgment of people. We don't give out Winx memberships so lightly."

"If we did, then we'd be a mess," Tecna said.

"Alright then," Musa said snapping her fingers, changing the music to a techno-dance song, "In honor of our newest Winx member, I say we celebrate!"

"Agreed!" They said together. Layla and Bloom grabbed one of my arms and dragged me to the dance floor.

"Now show us those moves that Musa mentioned earlier," Layla said dancing.

"Yeah, I wanna see that," Bloom second. I stood still for a moment (not sure whether they were crazy for accepting me so easily or if they really meant it) before feeling the music take over. Music has never taken over my body like this before where it urged my body to dance. _Is this Musa's doing?_ I wondered as my body began to move with the beat but as time went on, all of my worries and doubts were pulled to the back of my mind.

********************************************************************************

The party lasted longer than I though even though I'd missed a lot. When it ended and the Winx and I went back to our room, I wondered towards a doorway that was opposite of Tecna's, Layla's and Musa's room, where I gasped at the sight of an extra bed, desk, nightstand, and night clothes to sleep in was all set up on the left side of the room. I noticed Bloom's bed right across from mine and another bed that I guessed was Flora's in the far corner of the room. Between Bloom and Flora's bed, however, was a set of doors with a little glitter sign dangling from the door knob that said "Stella".

"Now if that isn't welcoming, what is?" Bloom asked.

"I dunno," I said, walking towards what I guessed was my bed and picked up the nightgown. It was a cream colored mini-nightgown with matching shorts to wear underneath. As soon as I picked it up, a yawn escaped from me, making me realize how tired I really was.

"Yeah," Stella agreed, yawning after me, "I'm gonna head off to bed." She headed on over to her private room, slamming the door behind her. Musa, Layla, and Tecna decided to call it a night as well and went into their section of the room for bed as well, saying goodnight.

"Looks like you're rooming with me and Bloom," Flora said in a yawn, "If you need anything in the night, don't hesitate to ask."

"Yeah," Bloom said, "Get some rest. You had a long day." I nodded in agreement and slipped into my PJ's. Once the lights were out and I was in my bed, I heard Bloom say sleepily, "Night Scarlet. Tomorrow, you start your new life as a Winx" I giggled quietly.

_She falls asleep fast_, I thought. Flora came out of the bathroom and crawled into her bed.

"Night Scarlet. And we really mean it when we say that you belong with us."

"Thanks Flora. Night." I turned onto my left side, looking through the window. My eyelids suddenly became really heavy and they slowly closed.

_Maybe this won't be so bad after all. _

[Meanwhile…]

MV: I knew it! Isabella does have some connections that deals with unique people. (Flips through the pages of a file of some sort) Faragonda: Headmistress of Alfea College for Fairies; Saladin: Headmaster of Red Fountain for Specialists; Griffin: Headmistress of Cloud Tower for Witches. Three people that was in connection with Isabella, how intriguing. (organizes the files and puts them away. He raises his hand.) I summon you creatures! (These insect-like creatures with no eyes and a weird tube for a mouth forms.) Head over to Magix and start the blood hunt, and especially go near the schools. (The creatures suddenly disappear) Maybe what I'm looking for's there.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Pixi, the Boy, and the Monster

A weight was placed on my back, nothing heavy really, but the weird factor was that it moved. It wondered from the lower part of my back to the top, pacing back and forth. The weight soon moved towards my head, which felt old, especially since it felt a little furry. I felt myself being pulled from my sleepy world as I opened my eyes to find myself staring into a pair of dark red eyes and a huge upside down grin.

"OH GOD!" I screamed shooting up from my bed, grabbing my pillow tightly and holding it close to my chest. A yelping sound flew behind me followed by a thump, which caught my attention. I turned around and saw a small blue and white rabbit upside down against the wall, its eyes spinning from the sudden impact. I stared at it for a while, then my eyes wondered around the room. It looked familiar, but I wasn't quite sure where I was. I heard a groaning from the upper part of the room, causing me to hold onto my pillow tighter.

"Scarlet?" said a familiar voice. I loosened my grip on the pillow as I saw a girl rise up from the bed, rubbing her eyes and her long, light brown hair falling over her shoulders, "Are you alright?" When she looked at me with her hazel eyes, I suddenly remembered who she was.

"Flora," I said, suddenly remembering that I was no longer at Inter-Realms academy, "Yeah, just this rabbit was on my head and freaked me out." Flora looked over at the rabbit and laughed.

"Oh that's just Kiko, Bloom's rabbit from Earth." I looked to the rabbit as it got back on its feet and then at Flora.

"That rabbit does not look like one from Earth."

"It's a unique little bunny." Kiko looked at me with a pout on his face and his paws on his hips.

"A very unique bunny," I said, hoping that he wasn't going to hurt me or anything.

"Flora? What's that noise?"

"Yeah, there was a scream and then a loud crash." I blinked at Flora as I heard two different, tiny voices coming from different parts of the room. I noticed something that looked like a small bed sitting next to Flora's bed and something that looked like a little pixi coming out. She had long blonde pigtails and light brown eyes that almost matched Flora's. She wore a green top, green skirt, and green boots, which I guessed match Flora's love for Mother Nature. Flora smiled at her.

"It was nothing, Chatta. Scarlet just met Kiko."

"Scarlet?" Chatta repeated, "I'd never heard of a Scarlet. Who's this Scarlet? Is she pretty? Is she a friend? Does she have a boyfriend?" Chatta continued asking questions as I noticed another pixi coming out of a small bed near Bloom's bedside. She had short purple hair and dark grey eyes with a tint of blue reflecting through the morning light. On her matching dress was a white keyhole that made me wonder if she was a pixi of portals. When she made eye contact with me, she screamed.

"EEK! An intruder!"

"No, Lockette, she's not an intruder, she's a new Winx girl," Chatta explained.

"Oh." Lockette turned to me and smiled. "How do you do. I'm Lockette, pixi of portals."

_Man, Dad would be proud. I'm good._ Lockette pointed to the chatter box pixi and said, "This is Chatta, the pixi of chatter." Chatta flew towards me and bowed.

"So you're Scarlet? What's your power? Do you have any boyfriends? What's your favorite color? Do you have a pixi? Do you-"

"Chatta, can you quiet it down?" I looked behind Chatta and saw Bloom rubbing her eyes as Lockette sat in her lap. Chatta shrugged and flew into the common room while Bloom stretched her arms in the air.

"So Scarlet," she said afterwards, dragging herself out of bed, "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"Do you feel better?" Flora asked, sitting at the end of my bed with a concerned look on her face. At first, I didn't quite understand what she was talking about, but then I remembered my long, dreadful day of death, switching schools, and joining the Winx club.

"I guess. It's not as bad as yesterday, but thinking about it bothers me."

"Well you won't have time to think about that," Bloom said, opening the balcony doors, letting in the morning air. I felt it wrap around my face, playing with my hair and waking me up for the day. "Today is our first day of classes. Do you know how's it's going to be like this year?" I shook my head.

"Well, since we're seniors, Ms. Faragonda said that we're going to have to perfect our winx magic, our charmix, and our enchantix. And it's all evenly divide up into three separate trimesters rather than semesters."

"Did you all obtain your enchantix?" I asked, wondering if there were any behind like me.

"We've all got ours," Flora answered.

"Oh…That's good," I said, trying not to show my disappointment.

"Yeah," Bloom second, "Mine took awhile to obtain, since my planet was destroyed. So instead of sacrifice, I sort of pulled it out of me."

"But Bloom soon saved her planet and completed her enchantix," Flora added, "She can now do things that she couldn't do before, like miniaturizing."

"But technically, we're guardian fairies, aren't we?" Bloom asked, "Wasn't the enchantix the final stage of our fairy training?" Flora shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. I guess Ms. Faragonda just wants us to perfect it before we can take on our new responsibilities." My eyes fell onto my comforter while my stomach was tying itself into a knot. _Everyone's got theirs completely…why was I even placed here._

"Do you have yours?" Flora asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. Before I could answer, there was a knocking on our doors followed by the sound of it opening. Musa entered with a surprised look on her face.

"Girls, check this out," she said, "There's this pixi that's sleeping on our balcony." The three of us followed her to the common room balcony where Layla and Tecna stood, looking at the pixi.

"According to my calculations, she's not hurt or unconscious, but just sleeping," Tecna told us.

"But why's she here?" Layla wondered. I examined the pixi closely, recognizing her long, fine blonde hair and red ribbon.

"I think I know her," I said without thinking. I told them about the pixi that I met at the tree and how it was looking for a bonded fairy.

"But why here?" Musa asked, "All of us have boned pixies already."

"Actually…I don't." Everyone looked at me in total shock. "There isn't a pixi village where I'm from nor near my school, so there wasn't really a chance for me to find one," I lied, which was surprisingly easy.

"Is it possible she's here because of you?" Flora asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

"My, how rude. Give the pixi some space." I looked up and saw a pixi in a ball gown and exotic wings landing next to the sleeping pixi, her face looking displeased.

"Do you know her, Tune?" Musa asked.

"Indeed I do," she said, "This is Luna, a friend of ours from Pixi Village."

"Really?" Tecna asked.

"Affirmative," said a pixi that popped out from behind Tecna. She appeared very futuristic with her electric blue and dark blue top and skirt. _Guess she's with Tecna_, I thought.

"So why's she here, Digit?" Digit shrugged her shoulders.

"How should I know? All I know is that she's been in search of a bonded fairy for some time now."

"We knew that much," Bloom said, disappointed that we couldn't learn much from that. Luna began to groan as she slowly opened her eyes, bringing up her tiny hand to block out the intensive light.

"Luna, are you alright?" Tune asked, "It's very improper to sleep without proper sleeping gear outside." Luna slowly lifted herself up, brushing off the dirt from her red skirt and white bell-sleeved shirt.

"I'm fine," she said. She looked up and saw all of us staring at her, "Why're you all looking at me like that?" she asked. We all looked at each other, then back at her.

"Sorry, Luna," Layla said, "We were just surprised that there was a fairy sleeping on our balcony."

"Well, it wasn't by choice."

"Did you find your bonded fairy yet?" I asked. Luna looked up at me, her black eyes reminding me of my mother's and growing wide along with a smile on her face. A weird feeling grew inside my chest, sort of like a sudden urge to pick her up and try to convince her to be my bonded pixi. I knew it didn't make sense, but I couldn't shake the feeling off. She soon launched herself towards me without hesitation and flew right into my chest.

"It was you. Oh I knew it was you when I first saw you yesterday." I looked from the pixi to the girls then back at Luna.

"B-but I can't be bonded to a pixi. It's not possible." Though I was really happy that a pixi wanted to be with me whether it was possible or not. It made me feel more like a fairy than a creature.

"Why isn't it possible?" Tecna asked, "It's normal for a fairy to have a bonded pixi."

"That's right. It's like love at first sight," Flora added.

"I know that," I said, remembering how I wanted to hug Luna when she was crying, "But…I was told that I couldn't get a pixi."

"Really?" Musa asked, "Why?" Luna turned around and pointed to the air.

"All in good time," she said. She turned back to me and rose to my eye level. "I'm Luna, pixi of legends and myths."

"I'm Scarlet, fairly of the wind." Luna flew higher and sat on my head.

"I believe that this is the start of a beautiful friendship." There was a sudden beeping sound that caught everyone attention. Digit pressed a button on her wrist and showed us a clock. I noticed everyone beginning to panic.

"Oh no, breakfast will be over soon!" Bloom shouted.

"Let's get going," Layla said, sprinting towards her room. I quickly followed Flora and Bloom, put on my clothes from yesterday, hoping that it was alright since it was the ONLY set of clothes I had, and was about to head back into the common room when Bloom stopped us.

"Wait, what about Stella?"

"She's still asleep?" I asked, amazed that Stella didn't hears us.

"She can sleep through anything," Flora mentioned as Bloom rolled up her other light blue thigh-high socks.

"I'll get her," she said, "You guys go on ahead."

"Alright. Follow us Scarlet," Flora said as she began to run, me following close behind, "Hopefully there'll be food there for us."

"Me too," Musa said. She turned to me and smiled, "Ready for your first day as a Winx?" I couldn't help but smile.

"I am," I said, "But I hope I don't have to do this every morning." Everyone assured me that it wasn't normal and eventually, we were able to grab some food before our classes.

The day was not as busy as Inter-Realms, for we only had few classes and lots of breaks for doing homework, unless you're Stella who just looks through Magix magazines. My favorite class so far, however, was Griselda's defense class. Since this year we're to improve our first fairy stage to perfection, I didn't feel as behind as I thought I would. Though because this was our first class, Griselda just lectured and assured us that tomorrow was when we get our hands dirty and start training. When the bell rang, the students and Winx began to leave while I sulked at my desk, upset at the fact that I hadn't _done_ anything all day.

"You okay?" Musa asked me as everyone was leaving.

"Is this what the whole year's gonna be like?" I asked, "Sitting and writing and listening and not moving?" Musa laughed.

"Of course not." She waved her hand towards herself, signaling me to follow her outside. "This is just the first day of classes. No teacher, even Griselda, would dare to make us work so hard on the first day."

"What about the classes I saw yesterday?"

"Those were just classes for advance students or students who require extra help," Tecna explained.

"Oh."

"Anyway, since we're done for the day, how bout we show Scarlet the city of Magix?" Stella suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea," Bloom said.

"Hey, is this an excuse to shop like crazy again?" Layla pestered, but Stella shook her head.

"I swear, this is an honest tourist thing. If I wanted to shop, I'd say so."

"Have you ever been to Magix?" Flora asked. I shook my head, thinking that it might be best that they didn't know that I arrived on the sidewalk of Magix, covered in gross stuff and having the people looking at me like I was an alien.

"Well, you're definitely gonna like it," Stella assured as we headed out towards the main campus of the school. Once we got outside, I noticed the pixies flying down towards us, happy that we're out of class. Luna came flying towards me with open arms. I smiled as well and opened my arms to catch her. _I guess she's thrilled that she found a bonded fairy, though I'm still surprise I have one._ As I welcomed Luna, she crashed into me, which I wasn't surprised about either, and looked at me with that excited smile on her face.

"So how were your classes?" she asked.

"Boring. I hope we do more tomorrow."

"You shouldn't say your classes are boring," Tune said, interrupting me and Luna's conversation, "Teachers take time out of their busy schedules to make you the best fairies than can." I studied Tune, trying to figure out what kind of pixi she might be so I could shut her up. "Are you even listening to me?" she asked.

"I was," I answered, "But it was _rude_ of you to interrupt me and Luna." The color in Tune's face disappeared for a moment before she called for Musa.

"Don't worry about her," she said, "Tune is the pixi of manners, so she tries to train us to be proper and polite."

"And what's wrong with that?" Tune asked, feeling insulted.

"Nothing." Tune turned her nose in the air and she followed the rest of the Winx while we followed close behind.

"How did you end up with the pixi of manners?"

"Easy. Though she is strict on manners, she's also a musician. Opera's her thing, and I think that's how we connected."

"Hey, come on!" Stella screamed, "I want Scarlet to see this before they get here."

"They?" Musa grabbed my hand and pulled me into a run. "Hey, Musa!" but she didn't stop. Once we caught up, Stella took my hand from Musa's and pulled me to the front.

"They should be here any minute." I rolled my eyes.

"Stella, who're 'they'?" However, she just ignored and shouted, "Here they come!" I looked in the direction that "they" were coming in and heard nothing, but saw little specks that grew in size as they got closer. Once they grew to a decent size, I noticed that there were people on wind-riders (lucky). There were two in the front that kept on switching first and second place spots, that was if they were racing. As they got closer, they came into a screeching halt, stopping in front of us. I was surprised at how many that came.

"There's six of them," I said aloud, but no one was listening. The Winx girls except Layla ran to a boy all excited and shy like girls are sometimes with boys they like. Stella went to who I guessed was Brandon and jumped on him, holding him close.

"They're so in love," said a pixi in a long light and hot pink dress.

"Amore, you always say that about Stella and Brandon," Chatta pointed out.

"But it's true." I rolled my eyes and looked over at Bloom who was being shy with who I guessed was Sky. _Well of course she'd be shy, he's her fiancée._ Flora seemed to be just as shy with a guy wore his long black hair in a loose pony-tail and who didn't appear as muscular as some of the others (but I can imagine that he's really strong).

"That's Helia," Layla mentioned as she watched me looking at the Winx and specialists, "Flora's boyfriend. He's into poetry, drawing, and painting."

"I didn't think that specialists were poetic."

"They're not. Only Helia is. Check out Musa's boy." I looked over to see a big, muscular (I know they're all muscular, but this one seemed the biggest) guy with what looked like raspberry colored hair. He looked over at Musa and gave her what I guessed was an attempt to smile. She laughed as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, causing him to blush like crazy.

"So that's the guy Musa mentioned last night. Riven right?" Layla nodded. "Is he new at this or something?" Layla nodded again and then pointed to Tecna and a guy with auburn hair and glasses.

"That's Tecna's boyfriend, Timmy. He promised me my own wind-rider so that when these girls are riding with their boyfriends, I've got of my own." Luna flew out of my arms and decided to sit on my head as I looked over at the last guy.

"And your guy's not a specialist, right?" Layla looked at the extra guy too, scratching the back of her head.

"Yeah. This guy must be new."

"Layla!" We both turned to see Timmy approaching her, Tecna close behind. "I've done it." He took out a triangle piece from his pocket and pressed a button, casing it to hover on its own. Suddenly, it began to transform, extending its sides to a point where it became a wind-rider. Layla and I grinned with delight, amazed by what we've just seen. Without hesitation, Layla jumped on her bike as Timmy passed her her helmet. He then looked over at me, adjusting his glasses.

"You must be the new girl," he said to me.

"This is Scarlet," Tecna introduced. He smiled.

"Brandon mentioned that there was one more of you. Luckily, we've expanded."

"Expanded?" Tecna, Layla, and I asked together.

"That's right," said a new voice. I looked over at Brandon, who was approaching us with his arm around Stella, his brown eyes proud of whatever this expansion was. "We're officially the largest specialist group on campus now, thanks to our newest member to the team, Matt." He pointed to a guy in a red and beige helmet who barely acknowledged us.

"Well he's polite," I muttered.

"Hey, be nice. He's your chauffer for your trip into Magix." I pinched my lips together as I looked behind Brandon, noticing Sky, who was looking right at me, obviously disapproving with what I said, "By the way, I'm Sky. This buddy here's my Paige, Brandon." He then pointed over to Musa's guy and continued, "That's Riven. Careful, he likes to compete a lot."

"Only against you, Sky," he shouted back. His arms were wrapped around Musa's waist from behind and his chin rested on her shoulder. Sky shrugged his shoulders and pointed elsewhere.

"Then there's Helia and Timmy, they're good with handling the ship and technical stuff, but they're also great fighters." Timmy smiled and Helia waved hello. Sky looked over at Matt and shouted, "Hey, take off your helmet and say hello." We all watched him as he took it off, shaking his dark dark brown hair out of helmet form and stared at us with ice blue eyes.

I swear I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest. _Oh god, it's the frustrated guy from last night._ I now noticed that he wasn't as muscular as the others, but was sort of like Helia and Timmy. The only main difference was that he was really really tall, which most of these guys were not.

"Hey, he's cute" Stella whispered, "Make sure he's single." I glared at Stella and sighed.

"Well, let's get going," Brandon called out. Everyone got on their bikes and I walked on over to Matt, who, by the way, didn't bother to look at me. Instead, he passed me an extra helmet and placed his own on.

"Thanks," I said blankly. "Luna, you comin'?"

"Of course!" She flew down as I put my helmet on and hovered over my seat. Once I mounted the bike, she comfortably sat on my lap and clung on tightly to Matt's T-shirt. I hesitated before wrapping my arms around his waist, feeling a little odd about holding onto him after meeting him for ten seconds the night before and even shorter today. But I had to put that aside if I wanted to get to Magix with everyone else, so I wrapped my arm around his surprisingly thin waist, signaling him that it was safe for him to go. I noticed that Matt seemed to hate what he was doing and I was sorry that I had to follow him. _Seriously, I could have ridden with Layla instead of him._ But my heart continued to beat harshly and I was hoping that he couldn't feel anything. Just because he was cute didn't mean that he was nice. _Jeremy was cute, but not as beautiful as this guy, but he was kind towards others and didn't ignore people_. Suddenly, the thought of Jeremy made me feel weird. Of course I missed him, but my mind wasn't as upset as it had been yesterday. Instead, it always wandered back to Matt, the ice-boy.

Luckily, it didn't take long to get to Magix, which was a relief because no matter how cute he was, I didn't want to stand near this ice-boy another second. The wind-rider slowed down once we reached a parking lot and quietly turned off. Luna flew off my lap while I slid my arms off Matt's waist and looked around. The buildings, now that I was aware, were actually taller than the town near Inter-Realms. _Well, duh, Scarlet. It's not called City of Magix for no reason_.

"HEY!" My eyes were torn away from the buildings and fell onto the eyes of the ice-boy. "Could you get off my bike today?" My teeth clenched together and I threw my legs over, smoothly sliding off the bike. "And give me the helmet unless you wanna wear it all day."

"Who does he think he is?" Luna whispered. I shrugged my shoulders, took off the helmet, and threw it at him with full force. He was surprised by my sudden action, but he did catch it, which ticked me off. _Would have been nice if it smacked you in the head._ Once he put it with his helmet, he glared at me.

"If I'd missed that catch, you'd have to buy me another helmet," he shouted. He voice wasn't smooth like last night, but was harsh and filled with total dislike. My jaw fell open, completely surprised that he was ticked off. I looked from Luna, who was just as surprised, and back at him, who was still glaring at me with such hatred.

_Forget it. He's a jerk._ I turned my back to him and walked towards the Winx and specialists, totally ignoring him.

"Scarlet, darling!" Stella shouted, "Hurry up!" I ran towards my fellow Winx, replacing my disapproving smile into an excited grin.

"Sorry, what're we gonna start with?"

"Shopping!"

"Stella," we said together. She laughed and twirled a piece of her golden hair.

"No, seriously, I want to show her my favorite shopping place. It is like a landmark of Magix."

"Well, if we're showing her landmarks, I wanna show her the music store," Musa said with total excitement.

"I would love to show her the park," Flora added, lacing her fingers together, "Maybe Helia could even paint something for her to see."

"Wow, that's a lot," I mentioned, "You think we're gonna have enough time to do everything?"

"No problem," Tecna said, pulling out a miniature laptop and typing swiftly across it, "I'll just create a logical schedule so that we spend the approximate time in each place."

"Well, it sounds like you're gonna do a lot of stuff that doesn't require us, so maybe we'll head on by the weaponry store and-"

"But Sky, I want you to come with us. If we didn't want you then we wouldn't have asked you to drive us here. Please stay," Bloom pleaded, grabbing Sky's arm as he was about to leave in another direction. It didn't take her long to convince him to stay, which wasn't a surprise to me. We began to head towards our first destination of Stella's shopping mall, giving me the opportunity to quickly walk up to Bloom and tap her shoulder to say,

"You seem to have him eating out of the palm of your hand." Bloom smiled and blushed a little as she shook her head.

"It's a little more than that," she whispered. I smiled at her and continued to look at the buildings. Soon we arrived at the shopping center, where Stella bought many clothes, trying to get Brandon's approval on everything so she could buy them. Luna and the other pixies flew around to try and find something for their bonded fairies while I began to wonder around the store (knowing that I wasn't going to buy anything because my money was torn up like my clothes at Inter-Realms). It didn't take long for me to stumble upon Tecna, who trying to decide between a jean mini-skirt and a white cotton bubble skirt.

"Need help?" I asked. She jumped a little, startled by my presence.

"Maybe. I just don't know which skirt to get. Logically it should be the jean skirt, but the white one is pretty too and would be easier to move in."

"That is a difficult question. Do you have any jean skirts at home or at school?"

"Not really. And I don't have any white skirts either, which doesn't help at all in the deciding process." I thought on it for a moment before pointing to one.

"I'd say the jean skirt because it won't get so dirty as easily as the white one."

"But I could easily remove any stains with a stain-removal spell."

"Do you really want to do that every time you get the white skirt dirty, which will show every little dirt that it passes?" Tecna thought about it for a while.

"I dunno."

"Okay, how about this," I offered, "Why don't you try them one?"

"That would be a waste of time." I began to pout.

_Man, she's strict._ Suddenly, and idea popped into my head. I pointed at Tecna's purple skirt and focused my energy on it. I pictured Tecna wearing the jean skirt and her purple skirt dangling on the hanger in its place. Once I felt my magic mixing with the picture, I pointed to the jean skirt as well and crossed my arms over, releasing the magic through my index fingers as they crossed. There was a bright light that grew from both skirts, blinding both me and Tecna, but once it faded, Tecna was in the jean skirt and her purple one was hanging on the hanger.

"How'd you do that?" she asked.

"A simple clothes trying on charm. Celia would take hours in shopping malls and Lucentia created this spell to make it faster."

"Wow, she was smart to think of that." She walked over to a mirror and examined herself in it. After posing many times, she nodded. "Your right. This one it is."

After purchasing some items, Musa and Layla led us to the music store. Again, I didn't have money and I mentioned this to them, but they didn't care. Musa was able to let me listen to some CD's with her music magic, which was pretty awesome, and Layla decided to reenact the dance video of the latest song. She was elegant in her movement and it was hard to take my eyes off her.

"Okay, you beat me completely in dancing," I told her when she finished.

"Now you don't know that. You dance just as well at the party last night. And I've yet to see that traditional wind dance." I laughed. Musa and Layla bought some CD's that we liked and then headed to the park. As we walked, I noticed a little coffee place that seemed dark, gloomy, and full of negative energy.

"Careful around here," Bloom warned, "This is where the witches of Cloud Tower hang out." The witches in the place and out looked at us as we walked on by, many of them at me. _The joyous thing about being the new kid_. As we walked, I noticed one of them smiling at me. Not an evil smile that read "I'll kill you", but a "Hey, you're different" kind of look. I smiled at her back and continued on walking, hearing the witches whisper about me once I was gone. _Great. They actually can sense my other-self. Talk about embarrassing._

"Well that was weird," Stella announced once we reached the park, "Every time a fairy walks by there, they normally would pick a fight. But today, they didn't want to for some reason."

"Probably because the specialists are here to protect you," Brandon said in a heroic voice. Stella giggled.

"Maybe."

"Maybe they didn't attack because of your 'condition'," Luna whispered in my ear, quoting the word "condition" with her index and middle finger on both hands.

"What?" She flew in front of me, her arms now crossed and a pleased smile on her face.

"After I met you yesterday, I knew that you were my fairy. But since you didn't react they way you were suppose to, I went to Ms. Faragonda about it."

"You did all that?" She nodded and continued.

"She told me everything and, of course, I'll keep it a secret. But she mentioned to me that because of this 'condition', you feel that you can't achieve what a normal fairy could." I sighed. "That's what I'm here for. To prove to you that besides being your bonded pixi, I'm going to push you so hard that you'll be the greatest fairy ever!" I closed my eyes for bit and then smiled. I took Luna in my arms and hugged her.

"Thanks, Luna. But it's okay. You don't have to do anything."

"But I'm going to." I rolled my eyes and wondered over to Flora, who was listening to Chatta. I was about to call her name when I noticed Helia, sketching intensively in his notebook. Luna flew out of my arms and hovered in front of me, signaling me to follow. When I reached Helia, I looked over his shoulder and noticed he was drawing Flora, bringing out everything beautiful about her. However…

"I think you need a little wind power to give it some life," I whispered. Helia looked up at me, confused about what I said and even more confused when my left arm straightened as my hand flex out as if it were reaching for an item.

"Wind power?" he repeated, "What do you mean."

"Watch." I felt the natural breeze blow ever so slightly and drew it towards my hand. My fingers felt the tickling sweep of the wind as it continued to come and grow in size, almost overflowing to the point when little wind strands would wrap around them willing as if to make more room. Once I felt that it had enough, I smoothly glided my hand towards Flora, gently throwing the breeze at her. My arm moved as far to the right as it could before hitting my mouth, so in order to get the curve I wanted, I had to move my wrist. Thanks to the wind strands that remained wrapped around my fingers, I moved my wrist towards me just a little bit, pulling the stings so that the breeze could hit Flora at the perfect angle. Her hair began blow in my breeze and I heard Helia gasp in amazement.

"That's incredible! Wait, keep it there." My eyes wandered over his shoulder to see him drawing a new sketch of Flora that came to life just because of a wind change. Once he was finished, Flora came towards us and stared at it in amazement.

"Helia, this is beautiful! It's as if it's alive."

"Well, there's Scarlet to thank for that." I smiled.

"It was nothing."

"Alright guys," Tecna called, "We've gotta head back." After many groans, we all slowly dragged ourselves back to the wind-riders. Luna and I were not pleased that we had to stay with Ice-boy. I'd asked Timmy if Layla's wind-rider could carry one more and a pixi, but he said that it was made for one person. _Isn't that my luck_.

Ice-boy got to the wind-rider first, mounting it and placing the red helmet over his head. I pouted as I said to Luna, "Great. Another ride with Ice-boy here. Isn't that pleasant?" She nodded, landing on my shoulder and sitting comfortably. "Well this'll be a quiet ride."

"_Look out!" _

I looked in front of me and quickly raised both of my hands in front of me, forcing the air around me to create a wind shield. The shield caught whatever was being hurtled my way and held it mid-air until I grabbed it myself. _Thank god for the wind spirits._

"Scarlet, are you alright?" Flora asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You jerk!" Musa called out, "Were you trying to hit her with your helmet?" The Ice-boy pressed a button that lifted the tinted window which covered his face.

"She caught it, didn't she?" he asked with a sly smile on his face. I held on tightly to the helmet, trying my best not to scream in anger against him.

"Yeah, she did." We all looked to Riven, who was leaning against his bike with his arms folded across his chest, "But think of what might have happened if she didn't."

"Fine, fine. Sorry." He looked at me and jerked his head towards my seat. "Get on."

"OO, warm and friendly. I love it." I said sarcastically. With Luna secured and my arms yet again around his waist, we set off back to Alfea. The drive back was pretty smooth, especially when the wind is blown against my face. It was sort of like it was washing away my anger for the Ice-boy who was driving me around places against his will. I was just about to forget everything when I heard a faint voice in the air.

"_Stop! There's danger ahead._"

I froze for a moment, listening carefully around me.

"_You must turn back. Something dangerous is going to-_"

"What's that?" I heard Brandon yell over the spirit. I moved my head to the left to see what he was talking about. My eyes grew wide at the sight of a long, insect like monster with a long, circular mouth with sharp teeth the kept on poking in and out, looking as if it could be used as either teeth or a weapon. For eyes there weren't any. Just empty eye sockets that leaked some gross liquid as it moved its head. It had many creepy-crawly legs and a scorpion's tail that caused me to shiver.

"I dunno," Sky answered, "but I think it's safe to say that it's not good."

"Careful!" Helia cried, "There's more behind this one." I heard a shriek.

"Ew! Those things look nasty!" Stella screamed, "Can't we ever have a school year where there isn't anything gross."

"What is it?" Timmy asked. I watched Tecna pulling out another gadget (mental note: where does she keep all those gadgets?), pressing buttons and focused on finding an answer.

"I don't know," she answered, "It's not from anywhere near Magix."

"When is there anything gross in Magix?" Layla pointed out.

"Never," Bloom answered, "And that's why we're going to get it out of here." She looked at each one of us. "Ready to transform girls?"

"_Say, 'Magic Winx' with them and then transform_."

I didn't know what the wind spirit was talking about, but once I gave Bloom the final nod, she raised her fist and took a deep breath.

"_Say it now!"_

"Magic Winx!" I shouted with the girls. I heard our voices echo as I felt the wind wrap around me tightly. My top became a glittery silver tube-top that ended above my stomach and my skirt lost its jean texture and became a soft, lose, glittery silver mini-skirt with a slit on my left leg. A midnight blue ribbon wrapped over the top part of my skirt like a belt as another one wrapped itself like a headband in my black hair, the two ends of it falling against my back. The wind created a sheer silver texture to wrap my arm from my elbow to my wrist, but letting an extra triangular piece to rest atop of my hands. And as soon as my arm-bands were complete, more midnight blue ribbons came and criss-crossed over the material, starting at the wrist and ending below my elbow, keeping it in place as I moved. Soon the wind traced down to my feet, creating my silver shoes up to my high ankles and then turning into ribbons, criss-crossing over my leg up to right below my knee. Finally, the wind wrapped together on my back and created my pair of wings (that I believed resembled Tinkerbell's), glittery and strong, which lifted me off the wind-rider and placed me in the air.

"Wow, Scarlet," I heard Stella say, "You clean up nicely."

"Thanks Stella," I replied, "but I think we better focus on these things."

"Scarlet's right," Bloom said, clenching her fist. I noticed that her arm bands were similar to mine, just a solid sky blue than my silver, "We need to figure out a way to beat this…this…thing." She placed her hands in front of her and two, bright, orange balls grew. Her hands placed the two together and launched it at the monster. It hit it and it made a weird screeching sound, but it didn't seem defeated.

"Let us try," Musa called. She raised her two hands above her head along with Flora and the two released their spells, which got the same reactions as Bloom's.

"This is crazy," Tecna commented, "It's like its immune to magic."

"Well if it is," Sky said, pulling his blue sword from his back pocket, "Then we might be able to help." While still on their wind-riders, all six began to attack the monster. I raised my index and middle finger together and summoned my magic to the tip. Once it reached its capacity, I quickly brought my arm down in a diagonal motion, releasing the magic. It hit the monster with force, like a wind whip, but its reaction was the same as the other attacks. I looked over at the others that were coming to its aid and saw the specialists trying to beat them before they could arrive, but it was no use. We all continued trying to beat the first one, but I felt that we weren't really moving anywhere.

"Maybe a convergence spell will work," Layla suggested while throwing pink liquid at the monster.

"Alright, let's try it." Bloom and the other winx flew up in the air and spread out into a large circle. I thought about joining them, but since we hadn't done a convergence spell together yet, I decided to just continue on attacking it on my own.

"Scarlet, come on!" I looked up and saw Bloom calling down to me, "We can't start without you!" Without hesitating, I flew up to the girls and joined their circle above the monster. "Alright, let's converge." Bloom placed her thumbs together and stretched her other fingers apart. We all copied her and focused. However, I had no idea what to focus on.

"_Defeat the monster. Converge your energy into defeating the monster."_

_Well alright then_. I focused my energy into creating something sharp to strike the monster with while also carrying the attacks of the other Winx girls. I felt a wind current spin through my body as I focused with all my might. I noticed that everyone began to glow a little, including me. I shown like a silver coin as the wind inside me reached my head. Suddenly, I began to feel everyone's desire to strike at the monster and felt the magic surging around them. For the first time, I felt a connection with them. I wasn't sure if this was the bond that they mentioned last night, but whether it was or not, I felt it.

"Winx Convergence!" we shouted in unison, releasing our magic energy to join together. All of our spells mixed together and fell at a fast speed, striking the monster.

"We did it!" Flora shouted.

"I don't think we should celebrate just yet," I said, flying down towards it. It didn't react in any way as I examined it. "It's not destroyed, but paralyzed."

"Then shouldn't we try to find a weak spot to kill it completely?" Musa asked.

"I'll work on that," Tecna said, releasing a green glow from her wrist that had weird numbers on them. She poked at it as she analyzed the monster while my eyes wondered over to the specialists. They weren't having much luck. I noticed the Ice-boy was fighting with a red sword that was curved like Riven's, but its tip was pointy rather than looking like a samurai sword. Actually, it looked like it was a long, thin sword in the shape of a fang. After what seemed like hours had passed, Tecna shouted with delight.

"What is it?" Bloom said.

"Its weakness is in its mouth, or whatever that thing is." Layla opened her hand to show a small pink liquid ball and threw it in the mouth. Suddenly, it made a large crying sound of pain and began to crumble within itself.

"That was great, Tecna," I complemented, "But how'd it get paralyzed in the first place?"

"When we hit it," she began, "We hit it on its eyes sockets, which is apparently really sensitive to them to the point that if they're hit, they'll freeze for a certain amount of time."

"Let's tell the other specialists quickly," Flora suggested with fear in her voice. We flew to them and noticed that their luck hadn't improved at all. They'd all taken over one each and were losing terribly. While every girl flew to their guy, I flew around and stared down at Matt.

"You should help him," Layla whispered.

"He's obnoxious, though. You help him." She shook her head.

"Nuh-uh. He's not my guy. But I'll help you if you need it. Until then, I'm gonna make sure there aren't any more up ahead."

"Thanks." Layla patted my shoulder and flew beyond the current monsters on surveillance. I hovered over the Ice-boy still debating if I should help him, when I noticed that the monster was going to launch its mouth right at him. Without even thinking, I flew down as fast as I could, hands out ready to push.

"Look out!" I yelled. He looked at me as my hands reached his shoulders, pushing him out of the way. I kept on flying in that direction until I felt a sharp pain slash across my left leg, causing me to have a crashing landing right into the specialist, who was hiding behind a boulder.

"What the hell's you problem?" He shouted as I tried to lift myself up.

"You're most welcome." I said sarcastically. I managed to lift myself up into a sitting position with my back against the boulder, my legs being my support with my knees locked together. The Ungrateful Ice-boy began to slightly look over the boulder and mumbling to himself a plan while a familiar smell lifted into my nose, causing me to worry a little. His voice began to disappear as my eyes fell to my left leg and I saw my scarlet colored blood slowly drip down my thigh and into the dirt. I placed my hand over it and looked in the opposite direction, trying to not smell it and think of a way to heal it with my black magic without making it so obvious. I felt my teeth begin to have that tingling sensation, making it harder for me to think. Suddenly, I felt something small sit on my shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'm here."

"Luna?" I whispered, "What're you doing down here?" She looked up at me and winked.

"I felt your conditions acting up, so I thought I could help if I came down."

"How could you help?"

"Simple. Did the tingling stop in your teeth?"

"How'd you know about-" I stopped talking and noticed that the tingling did stop. I still strongly smelt my blood, but my teeth felt normal. _That's weird,_ I thought. My eyes stared at the grinning pixi, who I guessed was pleased with her actions, as was I.

"HEY!" I shuddered and rolled my eyes, turning my head towards Matt, "Did you get any of that?" I shook my head. He smacked the palm of his hand to his forehead, upset that I was focusing on other matters, like my condition acting up, but he didn't know that.

"I was saying that we should go and…" I noticed his eyes wondering to my hand on my leg, the scarlet blood continuing to drip on the ground. He straightened himself and looked directly at me, looking a little confused. "When did that happen?"

"When I pushed you out of the way, I believe." He thought for a moment and muttered, "You didn't crash into me on your side…"

"It's no problem," I interrupted, "I think when the monster struck, it got my leg a bit." His eyes tore away from mine and began tearing off a long, thick piece of material from his T-shirt at the hem. I looked at Luna, who appeared as equally confused as me, and then back at him. Once he thought he had a long enough bandage, he reached for my hand, moving it away from covering the wound. I was amazed that it was still bleeding. He placed the bandage over the cut and began to wrap it around my thigh, his fingers slowly brushing against my skin. I felt my face increase in temperature as I watched him wrapping up my thigh, his ice-blue eyes staring at it in worry. It felt tight, which I guessed was good, and when he finished, he looked up at me, looking no longer as the Ungrateful Ice-boy, but as a normal, beautiful guy.

"Thank you for your help."

I thought I was going to pass out. He smiled a genuine smile that made me wings flutter (talk about embarrassing). I couldn't even force myself to take my eyes away from his.

"You're welcome," I managed to say as I exhaled. A little poke at the back of my neck brought me back to my senses, reminding me that Luna was on my shoulder and that there're monsters that had to be destroyed.

"A-anyway, we better help everyone. We figured out a way to beat it, by the way."

"Good. What's its weakness?"

"Its mouth." Matt looked over the boulder again.

"It's moving around like crazy," He pointed out as he slid back down next to me, "If we had a way to keep it still, I could-"

"I've got an easier idea." He looked at me, upset that interrupted, but was willing to listen. "How about you aim for the eye sockets? That way, I can-"

"That eye sockets? But that's not its weak point."

"It's a sensitive spot though," I mentioned, making him think for a bit. "If you hit it, the monster will freeze and I can launch some magic into the mouth and voila. It's dead." He looked over the boulder again and sat down, pulling out a new weapon. When he pressed a button, a red, curvy material grew in both directions, creating a bow.

"How're you gonna shoot arrows?" I asked. He rose and looked down at me, a smirk grew on his lips.

"You worry about your job. I'll worry about mine." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine." I placed my wings to work and rose into the sky once more. Luna and I noticed the Winx and specialists working together, knocking down one monster after another while Layla announced if anymore were coming, which (thankfully) were none. I watched Matt jumping into position and drawing a red arrow from the grip of the bow (amazing to watch, by the way). He struck the monster, missing a few time, but grabbing his attention in the end. Eventually, he drew two arrows and shot them right at the sockets, causing the monster to freeze on the spot.

"My turn!" I shouted. I placed my left hand in front of me, making an "L" with my index and thumb, and focused. Slowly, I created magic wind strings next to the "L" shape. With my first three fingers on my right hand, I pulled them back all the way till it reached my ear. My "L" shape was aimed right at the circle of the mouth, allowing me to let the strings go. As the strings flew back into the "L" shape, the pressure I create was similar to an arrow. It went into the mouth and killed it from within, causing it to crumble like the others. I closed my left hand, catching the strings and absorbed them back into my magic stream within me.

"And that's what I call my invisible bow and arrow technique," I said with a proud grin.

"That was amazing," Luna said, clapping her little hands together, "We should help the others." I flew towards everyone else and helped in every way I could, re-using my bow and arrow technique to freeze or destroy the monsters. Once the last one was destroyed, we landed on the ground, falling down onto our knees totally exhausted.

"This is crazy!" Stella screamed, "I'm now completely dirty and tired and sweaty. Those monsters better not come around anymore or I'm gonna lose it."

"I think we should head back to Alfea and talk to Ms. Faragonda about this," Flora suggested.

"Good idea," Bloom second. One by one, their magic winx outfits disappeared. I made mine disappear as well, noticing Matt's bandage still securely wrapped around my leg.

"Then shall we take you back?" Sky asked, "The wind-riders didn't get damaged." Without any talking, we all walked towards the wind-riders and placed on our helmets. Luna switched seats and sat on my lap, humming to herself as Matt hopped on. Once his helmet was on, I placed my arms around his waist and he drove. The whole ride seemed like an awkward silence. He didn't ask about anything or mock my actions. We just drove back to Alfea with the wind whistling in our ears. When we arrived, Luna flew up and I slid off, taking off my helmet and passing it to him. I felt myself feeling that I shouldn't leave things like this so I quickly thought of something to say.

"Well…uh…thanks for…for the bandage." He took off his helmet and leaned on the handle of the bike, an amusing smile curling on his lips.

"You're a strange fairy, you know that?" I felt my cheeks grow hot and my eyes looking away from his. With that as an answer, he placed his helmet back on and drove off with the other specialists.

[However…]

MV: My creatures, I summon you. (Extends his hand faced downwards, summoning the destroyed monsters) Return to life. (Lifts the same hand so that the palm faces the creatures) Any sign of the girl? (One creature steps forward and spits out a small drop of scarlet colored blood. MV points at it and levitates every drop. He examines it as an evil grin spreads across his lips, revealing two, sharp fangs) So I was right. Maybe Isabella sent the creature there…(Continues to examine the blood) She sent her to Magix. (Places the blood in a little bottle and lets it levitate) With this blood, I'll be able to look through those files from Inter-Realms and narrow my search down. I know she was once at that school, but my guess is that Isabella transferred her…(looks back at the blood) Iwant you my dear…Little miss vampire fairy…


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, listen, i didn't know how to spell the lake that Daphne was is, so i just guessed the spelling of it. Sorry in advance ^_^

Chapter 4: The Missing Files

"Scarlet!" I stood up straight and looked at Griselda. "Your turn. Let's see you try to dodge my spells." I nodded and stepped forward. As I prepared myself, I noticed my classmates in their first fairy form, reminding me a little bit of Inter-realms, making me feel right at home. I flew into the air and waved down to Griselda.

"Good Luck, Scarlet!" I heard the Winx Club shout.

"Thanks!"

"Focus Scarlet," Griselda reminded me.

"Sorry. I'm ready." Griselda adjusted her glasses and stretched her arms out. In a semi circle were twenty little glow balls. Of course I knew the exercise from watching the other students, but I knew at some point they start to get harder and if you're hit, it apparently hurts a lot, according to Stella anyway. So I hovered on guard and dodged the first five, leaving fifteen left, and was doing well. When the sixth one was released, I noticed it had split into two more glow ball thingies, and struck at me from two totally different angles. I arched my back as one zipped by close to me and straddled over the other that came right after. The next four was like that, but once I reached the half-way mark, one glow ball would split into two and even if I dodge it, it'll try to stab me in the back, literally. Using some wind attacks I destroyed them, one pair I even tricked into hitting each other by just moving higher as they approached me. The last five were the worst. Each of them were never ending glow balls that loved to not leave me alone. Thinking quickly, though, I created my wind currents and led them straight to it. My favorite part though was when the current that carried the glow balls hit Griselda and she couldn't protect herself against her own attacks. As I landed, she dusted herself off.

"Very clever thinking, Miss Scarlet," she said, "Nothing less from a warrior fairy." I smiled as I flew down to the rest of the class. "Now remember to practice dodging these spells. We've learned from Miss Stella that saying you'll dodge doesn't mean that you will. Class dismissed." We all went back into our normal clothes and Stella pouted.

"Man I hate that woman."

"Oh come on, Stella. You know she's just trying to perfect our powers," Bloom said.

"That's right," Tecna confirmed, "And even though we've achieved our final fairy transformation, we need to perfect it in order to gain full power."

"At Inter-Realms, it was all about perfection, so believe me, it's worth the work."

"Seemed like you didn't need it, though," Musa pointed out. "You got Griselda! That's priceless." We all laughed.

"By the way," Layla said once we'd calmed down, "How're things with you and Matt?" I felt my cheeks get hot as I did my best to deny it.

"W-what're you talking about? That was…like…a week ago."

"A week and a few days, my dear," Stella corrected, "And did you even thank him about taking care of that cut on your leg?"

"I did."

"And have you spoken to him since?"

"No because he's not like that. I'm not like that. We're like that." However, Stella had her hands on her hips and her I-Know-Everything look on her face.

"Come on, fess up."

"There's nothing to fess up!"

"Scarlet!" I looked over and saw Luna flying towards me and waving. I was amazed that even after all this time, she's still happy that she has a bonded fairy, which I now believe is me. Since that fight against the monsters, I couldn't shake off the fact that Luna's touch stopped the tingling in my teeth, which would have led to my condition and that wouldn't have been pretty. Once she reached me, she said, "Faragonda wants to see us."

"Us?" I repeated.

"Yep." I turned to the Winx, who looked worried.

"But why?" Flora asked, "She's a Winx and Winx do everything together."

"It's something that involves Aquila," Luna answered.

"Then I guess there's nothing we can do," Musa said, "Fill us in later?"

"Of course," I replied. I turned towards the school and ran inside with Luna at my heels.

"So did she tell you anything about Aquila?" I asked while running.

"Actually, I lied."

"Huh?" Luna turned to me with a smile. "I needed a reason to make sure the Winx didn't follow you."

"But they're my friends. If it's not about Aquila, then they should have come."

"But it's about your condition." I began to slow down in the hallway until I came to a complete stop. "Scarlet? Are you alright?" I stared beyond Luna, lost in thought before coming back to my senses.

"It's coming, isn't it?" I said as a statement rather than as a question, "The new moon cycle is coming, right?"

"Faragonda wanted to talk about what you're gonna do that night."

"Aw man!" I picked up the pace again and sprinted towards Faragonda's office. After knocking, she allowed me to enter, welcoming me with a warm smile.

"Scarlet. Good. I'm glad that you and Luna are both here." I closed the door behind me and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Faragonda's desk. "Now I'm guessing that Luna told you why I wanted you here."

"She did."

"Well?"

"Well," I repeated.

"What do you plan to do that night?" I didn't answer straight away for I really didn't know what I was going to do. The only thing that came to mind was…

"…I'll just have to leave Alfea for the night." Faragonda and Luna were surprised by my answer.

"Scarlet, that's crazy!" Luna said in protest, "There's an easier solution."

"No there isn't, Luna."

"Man, why're you so stubborn!"

"I'm not stubborn," I shouted back, "I don't want people to know. Is that a crime?"

"No it isn't," Faragonda answered. She sighed and adjusted her glasses, "Alright. I grant you permission to leave Alfea that night."

"Thank you, Ms. Faragonda." Luna crossed her arms and pouted, but I did my best to ignore her. "By the way, any word about Aquila and my people?" Faragonda shook her head.

"The barrier is still up. But since you brought it up…" She snapped her fingers and stood still for a moment.

"Ummm…Ms. Faragonda?"

"Don't worry, I just sent a message to Livy, the pixi of messages, to bring in the other Winx girls."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because now that we've handled your 'condition' situation, it's time to handle the rest of the problem. It involves you and your friends."

"Really?"

"Of course. Do you really think that they'd leave you alone?"

"I guess, but they barely know me. I mean, isn't it a little strange that they welcomed me into their group after one night?" Faragonda began to laugh and I stared at her in amazement. I looked at Luna, who had stopped pouting and was equally amazed, and back at Faragonda.

"Why're you laughing?"

"Because," she began, "Do you really think I'd put you with them if they weren't going to include you?"

"What?"

"I know what happened at Inter-Realms was tragic, but I believe that it happened so you could come here."

"Why?" Faragonda pointed to Luna.

"For starters, you found your bonded pixi here when you were completely convinced that you'd never have one. And the Winx Club is like you. There was no way that they could not accept you." There was another knocking on the door that interrupted Faragonda. She allowed the knocker to enter and in came the Winx Club and their pixies.

"Ms. Faragonda, is everything alright?" Bloom asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Everything will be soon." Faragonda answered, "But the reason I called you here was something about Scarlet's old school, Inter-Realms. The teachers and I did some scouting around and were able to properly remove the late students and headmistress from the school and grounds, but we couldn't do much research. We were attacked by the same monsters that attacked you last week."

"Do you know that those are, Ms. Faragonda?" Tecna asked.

"They are called silent-takers: Creatures that will suck away your magic dry to a point where it'll leave you speechless." We all shivered at the thought of having our powers sucked dry while Faragonda continued. "However, sometimes their victim will try to hold onto their power, causing the silent-taker to try harder. If they try harder, the circle they'd made in the victim's neck will be taken away and the victim soon dies because of lose of blood."

"Oh my," Flora said, her legs shaking at the thought, "That's terrible."

"And gross," Stella added.

"Sounds like something a vampire would do," Tecna mentioned.

"These monsters are actually vampire based," Faragonda said, "But they aren't the actual creatures themselves."

"So where do we come in?" Musa asked.

"I want you seven to go to Inter-Realms and figure out what these creatures were after. Normally, they'd act out of natural behavior, but if they all were there to kill everyone, then that might mean that there's someone controlling them."

"Meaning there might be a new enemy comin' our way," Layla concluded.

"Precisely." I heard Stella grown, placing her hands on her head.

"Can't you send someone else?" She pleaded, "I really wanted a normal year this year. I don't wanna deal with vampire-like monsters that ruin my beautiful skin."

"Please, Stella," I said turning my head towards her, "I really want to know what happened to my school and friends and I can't do it alone." Stella was surprised by my pleading and looked at me, her light brown eyes twinkling. She sighed.

"We wouldn't allow you to go alone," she said taking my hands, "I'll be more than happy to help." I wrapped my arms around her neck.

"Thank you." I let her go and faced everyone else. "And thank you guys too. I know this wasn't the school year you wanted, but I could really use the help."

"Of course we'll help you," Flora said leading everyone into a group hug. I thought I was going to suffocate, but I smiled, knowing that they did want to help and that they really wouldn't let me go alone.

"Alright Ms. Faragonda, when do we leave?" Bloom asked, ready for action.

"Immediately." Faragonda pointed to her mirror, which began to swirl a purple-grey smoky mist. "Don't worry about your classes for now. Just try and see if there's something bigger than an attack. And please, don't use your enchantix or charmix just yet. "

"Why?" We all said in protest.

"Because in order to achieve the full power of your final fairy form, you must take steps in perfecting the stages before it. If you use either your charmix or enchatix, the power they now have will spin out of control and can hurt those around you." We all sighed, upset about not using the highest fairy form.

"Alright then," I finally said walking towards the mirror. I placed my hand through it, feeling the coldness pulling me in. "Let's go Winx." My face and body hit the coldness and it caused me to shiver. I heard the jingle of the pixies and the fall in of the girls. Everyone was reacting the same way as me, cold and wondering where're we going to land. My eyes turned in front of me and I began to feel a familiar breeze. Suddenly, the coolness disappeared and everything felt normal and familiar. The wind wrapped around to the point where it lifted me off my feet.

"_You've returned! You've returned!"_ I laughed as the wind spirits tossed and turned me with their familiar touch, welcoming me back to school. While levitating in the air, I looked down at the Winx, who were completely surprised by my sudden actions. Slowly, the wind spirits lowered me down on my feet and I smiled.

"Wind spirits. They missed me."

"That was cool," Layla commented, "I'd wanna try that out."

"Maybe some other time," Bloom said, pulling in our attention, "Right now, we've got a mission." She turned to face me. "Scarlet, lead the way." I walked in front, leading them towards the gates of my large, less colorful school. The smell of blood was gone and like Faragonda said, along with the bodies. However, just seeing the basic structure reminded me of the bodies lying lifelessly on the ground. I froze for a second once we passed the gates and tried to calm down. _Is it possible that there's an actual person that purposely did this?_ Two hands fell on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked at both sides and saw Layla on my left and Musa on my right.

"We're here this time," Musa said as if reading my mind.

"That's right," Layla second, "And we'll figure out who did this."

"Thanks." I took a few steps forward, then turned to face the Winx. "It might be faster if we spit up."

"But what if there's something waiting for us inside?" Flora asked.

"Nothing to worry about," Tecna assured levitating in a green light a 3-D map of my school, "I've scanned the place and there's no living creatures in nor around it."

"Okay, but we should at least pair off."

"Good idea, Flora," Bloom said. "You stay with Tecna. Scarlet, Musa, and Layla will be the other group, and Stella and I will be the last."

"But where should look first?" Stella asked, "I mean, this is a big place. Is it bigger than Alfea?"

"Maybe," I answered, "But you're right in asking 'where should we look first'. How about Tecna and Flora check out the security system. If I remember correctly, we use both nature and technology to keep an eye on things, so maybe you can figure out what happened." I noticed Flora and Tecna's eyes widen with delight. "And Bloom and Stella could check out the boy's dormitory in the west wing, since Stella's probably dying to know what kind of guy lived here."

"Totally! Sign me up!" Bloom rolled her eyes and smiled at me to continue.

"Musa and Layla could then take the girl's dormitory in the east wing, maybe you can find something interesting to take for your own."

"Wouldn't that be mean out of respect for the dead?" Layla asked. I shook my head.

"At Inter-Realms, we're taught that we shouldn't get attached to anyone or to particular items. We were good about the item bit, but when it came to people, we broke the rule." I paused again, thinking about Jeremy, Celia, and Lucentia. "So by all means, take what you like. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Well," Layla said, still sounding a little insecure, "If you believe they'll be alright with it."

"Absolutely."

"But what about you?" Flora asked, "You can't go alone if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm going to look though Headmistress Isabella's office and see if she left anything behind." I looked at each of the Winx girls and each one gave me their own way of disapproving my plan of going alone. "I'll be fine." I felt that wasn't that convincing, so I tried something else. "I'm sure there's something we can figure out about keeping in touch."

"I've got it," Tecna said right after me. She released another green glow from the palm of her hand and seven little ear mics levitated. They were able to fit perfectly in our ears by the looks of it. We all reached in and placed them in, talking and testing them out. "So if you want to contact all of us in an emergency, just hit the Winx button."

"Sounds easy," I replied, "Thanks Tecna. Now let's check out this dead school." I pointed each group in their direction and led myself towards the headmistress's office.

"You can't forget about me, Scarlet."

"Of course not, Luna. I'm guessing that each pixi is going to follow their bonded fairy."

"Exactly." Luna looked around my school as we walked down the silent corridors. "Wow, this is a big school. Did any fairies here have bonded pixies?"

"You're really curious about the whole bonded pixi fairy thing, aren't you?" Luna smiled as I thought about it. "Well, I don't think so. There isn't a pixi village near here. But I do think there is one on the other side of town."

"And you never went there?"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want to be disappointed in not finding a pixi of my own, though it is strange that you managed to become mine." I soon began to see the large doors to Isabella's office. "Here we are." It was still open from when I had entered last time, the time when she sent me to Magix. I walked in, remembering how weak she was and how everything was freshly destroyed. My eyes began to fog up a bit, blurring my vision as I lowered myself to where I last saw her.

"Scarlet…" I wiped my eyes and rose up.

"It's alright Luna. Let's just start looking around." The back of my hand wiped away any trace of tears as I began to examine Isabella's desk while Luna checked out the bookshelves. I decided to tackle the bottom right drawer first, knowing that it was probably full of papers, forms, and information about the students that was once here. When I opened it, I was surprised to find it neat and organized with dividers separating each student. My fingers walked over the familiar names, noticing each of them having a form until I reached the girls section. As I separated the dividers, there wasn't a form in between.

[Meanwhile with Tecna and Flora]

Flora: This is amazing! I can't believe that this school can use technology and Mother Nature together.

Tecna: It doesn't seem logical, but it does work. (pushes some buttons). Hey Flora, any luck in finding anything?

Flora: (Looks through some plants) Nope. Haven't found anything.

Chatta: Maybe if you spoke to the plants, they'd tell you something.

Flora: I tried, but they're like soldiers. They won't give anything away.

Digit: (Typing along with Tecna) We're not having much luck with this computer system either.

Flora: (Thinks for a moment) Scarlet said that they used both technology and nature. It's like a convergent spell.

Chatta: So instead of asking separately, you should ask together?

Tecna: That actually might work. Flora, come over next to me.

Flora: (Walks over and examines the buttons on the keyboard near her) These buttons have the name of certain plants from other worlds.

Tecna: Which one controls the main gate?

Flora: The steeldranga, a flower that's as strong as steel.

Digit: The technology here has enhanced it greatly into blocking out not only physical attacks or creatures, but magic ones as well.

Tecna: Except for those of the students.

Chatta: So maybe a student left and accidentally allowed the monsters in.

Flora: Only one way to find out.

[Now to Bloom and Stella]

Stella: I can't believe how many guys are at this school.

Bloom: They were once at this school, Stella. They don't exist anymore.

Lockette: This pl-place give m-me the cr-creeps.

Amore: I feel that there was a lot of love in this school.

Stella: Hey, you think we could find Jeremy's room and surprise Scarlet with something of his?

Bloom: Maybe not. She's a little sensitive about him.

Stella: (pouts) Oh, I guess you're right.

(They walk for a bit until Stella stops)

Stella: Room 475: Ian and Jeremy.

Amore: We should definitely look.

(They enter and see everything on one side of the room torn and destroyed while the other was completely organized.)

Bloom: Isn't that strange. (Looks around the side of the room that's neat.) Wonder which guy this one is.

Lockette: I think it's Jeremy's. Look. (points to a picture of him and Scarlet)

Bloom: But why is his side of the room not like the others?

[So then to Musa and Layla]

Layla: Talk about depressing. And Scarlet had to walk around in it with dead people.

Musa: I know. And these people were to become the greatest warriors around. It's sad how they couldn't beat the silent-takers.

(They walk in a few rooms and are heading towards another)

Tune: This is absurd! These monsters should indeed be taught a lesson for ruining these dorm rooms. It's inexcusable.

Musa: Well, when we see them again, Tune, you let them know.

Layla: (reads the list of roommates) Hey, this is Scarlet's room. (They all enter and are surprised at the mess) How horrible.

Tune: This is definitely most depressing.

Musa: Which side of the room was hers?

Layla: I'm guessing the one by the balcony window.

Tune: (flies towards the open balcony doors) That's strange. Why would they keep their door open?

Layla: Your guess is as good as mine.

Musa: (Wonders over to the other side of the room) And these must have been her friends. (picks up a picture of the three of them, Scarlet's on the right)

Layla: Scarlet's got the same one with her stuff. (looks at it) How tragic.

Musa: But why would anyone or anything want to come here and destroy things? No one here has done anything wrong.

Layla: We don't know that, though.

Tune: This is certainly strange.

[Now back to Luna and Scarlet]

_That's strange._ I continued to look through it and noticed that Celia's, Lucentia's and my files were gone as well. _So only the girl's records and forms are gone._ I closed the drawer and opened the one above it. Random office supplies were laid out neatly in certain sections, easy for the headmistress to grab something without looking. The rest were other things like teacher and student applications, lesson plans, a list of the books that circled around her office and another for the library, and other things that didn't seem important. I pulled out the book list and placed it on the desk, noticing one book in particular one with a star next to it. _The 350 best schools and colleges in over 500 dimensions for fairies, sorcerers, witches, wizards, specialists, and more._

"Find anything?" Luna asked me, causing me to jump a bit from the sudden noise.

"I think so. All of the girls' file, form, record, grades, everything is missing, including mine."

"But who would want a bunch of girl records and stuff?"

"I don't know." I stared at the book list for a while. "Is there anything missing from the bookshelf?"

"Yep," Luna answered, "There're some random gaps, but the shelves aren't organized in any particular order, so I can't tell what types of books have gone missing."

"Will this list help?" Luna flew over my shoulder and examined the book list for the office.

"Yes it will." She took the list and began her search again. As Luna checked off the missing books, I wondered around to find the starred book. After completing a full circle, I couldn't find it.

"Hey Luna? Can you point out where the book is that's starred on the list?" I watched Luna look down the list and pointed right across from her.

"It's a few shelves down from the top."

"Thanks." I looked up at the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and sighed. _Looks like my wind-board's gonna have to help me up._ I pointed my right foot and extended it to the side, the tip of my boot gently touching the floor. My arms moved as far to the right as they could (without knocking me down) to wind me up and I focused my magic at the tip of my right foot. With all my energy I swung my arms and spun, drawing a magic circle around me on the floor. Once it was complete, I brought in my extended foot and created a wind platform, or as I call it: my wind-board. I thought about my destination, signaling the board where to go. It gently brought me to the bookshelf and slowly hovered as I reached for it. It was a thick and heavy book with a white cover and a picture of different schools that changed every three seconds. I sat down on my platform, my feet dangling below, and I opened the book, flipping through the pages to find out why it was starred. Eventually, I stumbled on a page in the A section for fairy schools and found a neatly folded sheet of paper. I took it out and opened it, my jaw dropping at what it was.

_My letter about my condition from dad._ I read it a few times before re-folding it and placing it in my skirt pocket. Before I closed the book, I noticed that the college the paper was placed in was Alfea. I felt a little electricity shock travel through my spin and into my head, making me think whether it was a coincidence or fate. I shut the book, placed it back, and lowered myself to the ground.

"I figured it out!" Luna shouted with joy and flapping the paper around.

"About the books?" I asked.

"Yeah. All of the missing books are somehow vampire based."

"Vampire based? Are you sure." A loud breeze banged harshly against the windows, making a clanking sound loudly in my ears. Suddenly, it opened and the wind pushed me behind a curtain.

"_Something evil comes."_

Luna followed me to my hiding spot and sat quietly on my shoulder. I faced the window and saw a reflection of the office…and someone was entering from outside.

"This is crazy. Why must I take everything and then bring most of it back? That's why I tell him to just take the ones that he thinks he'll actually need. AGH!" I saw a girl who looked slightly older than me and a dark green outfit. She had on a three-quarter sleeved, off the shoulders, belly shirt that was held together with dark green strings that criss-crossed over her side (I guessed that it was also on the other side of her or that would be weird) Her long, dark green pants flared at the bottom, showing off her matching open-toed sandals with a pointy heel. She had a bunch of papers that she was carrying in one hand while the other opened the bottom right drawer.

_The missing files!_

"And worst off, he wants me to put them back. What's the point if he sent the silent-takers to kill everyone? Who's gonna notice." She took her time placing everything in the right section of the drawer, mumbling names to herself as she worked. Once she finished, she appeared amused.

"So the only files he kept were Lucentia, Rosalie, Celia, Jenny, and Scarlet."

_Some jerk has my files?!_

"Well at least he didn't make me carry all those books back. That would have been a pain."

_The vampire books? What does she or this 'he' want with them_? Suddenly, she transformed. Her clothes were the same dark green, but her outfit was entirely different. Her top was now a tube mini-dress that was low cut in the back. Around her neck was a spike collar with a grey line that was tracing her in half, stopping at the point where and "F" was placed, and continued a bit before wrapping around her hip. She had on sheer dark green tights and knee-high boots with sharp pointy heels. Her hands were covered with dark green gloves that had lighter green bands around them, connecting to something that appeared like a shall or cape, blowing in the wind. I swallowed hard, praying that she wouldn't find me.

"I smell fear in the air," she said as an evil grin grew across her face, "And the fear is being caught!" She threw an attack at my hiding spot, causing me to fall out of it and for her to see. "A little spy here? That's rare." She flew down and forcefully lifted my face, her grip extremely tight.

"Why're you here?"

"None of your concern," I replied. I placed one hand slightly in front of me and created a wind current to push her away from me. She flew far back and crashed into the headmistress's desk. When she rose, she looked really displeased.

"You shouldn't have done that you brat!"

"She's not a brat," Luna corrected, "She's a fairy."

"That's right. Magic Winx!" I shouted. My clothes began disappear and was replaced by my winx outfit. Once I was complete, I flew to her level, ready to fight.

"What was that shout out?" The girl asked mockingly, "A club call?"

"Actually, yes. And what're you? Some chick who can't find any other color to wear?" The girl began to get angry as her cheeks flushed red. Her dark green eyes began to glow and her short blonde hair rose with her power.

"I'm Fury, witch of anger and fear. And you, little fairy, are going to suffer for what you've said!" Fury released a spell that smacked over me, causing me to fall out of flight. As I fell, I launched my wind-whip attack, bringing my magic to the tip of my two fingers and bringing my arm down at a diagonal. The force knocked Fury down along with me. With quick thinking, I pressed the Winx button on my ear piece.

"Winx. Trouble at the headmistress's office. Get here quick. And whatever you do," I lowered my voice so the witch wouldn't hear me, "Don't say my name."

[Flora and Tecna]

Chatta: So like I was saying, it would be amazing if something were to happen. I mean, we've been sitting here trying to find something and it's really making me tired. Hey, Flora, are you tired? If you wanna trade places then-

Tecna and Flora: I found it! (They look at each other with a smile.)

Tecna: You were right, Flora. This gate was under a convergent spell.

Flora: I wouldn't be surprised if the whole school was.

Digit: (Pushing a button in particular) So lets see if the steeldranga gate knows how the monsters got in.

(A video appears and they see students coming in and out. Then they noticed someone flying over the gate into town. Tecna presses a button that stops the video)

Tecna: Did you see that? (everyone nods) I'm gonna rewind it and put it in slow motion. Flora, can you make sure the plant will cooperate?

Flora: (Presses buttons and places her hand on a yellow pad, which glows by her touch) It's ready.

Tecna: Okay. (pushes a button) Rewind. (The video rewinds) Now play in slow motion.

(They watch a girl with short black hair fly though a wind current into town. Tecna presses a pause button)

Chatta: So it was Scarlet who went out into town.

Tecna: Well, she did miss the attack, so that means it happened sometime after she left.

Flora: Let's keep it in slow motion and continue watching. Something important might come up.

(The video continues and as Scarlet is gone, the silent-taker monsters enter. Digit stops it this time and all four are stunned)

Chatta: I was right! Someone left and brought them in.

Digit: But Scarlet didn't allow them to enter. She just created a wind current that the monsters were able to get through.

Tecna: That's why Scarlet missed the attack. It's because the silent-takers used her current as an entrance portal.

(There's static through their ear pieces and Scarlet's voice can be heard)

Scarlet: Winx. Trouble at the headmistress's office. Get here quick. And whatever you do, (in a whisper) don't say my name. (more static and then silence)

Flora: Oh no! I knew she shouldn't have gone alone. We've gotta find her.

Tecna and Flora: Magic Winx!

[Bloom and Stella]

Stella: Isn't it obvious? He's just neater than this Ian guy.

Bloom: (feeling a little annoyed with Stella's joke) No, seriously, what if this is actually something big?

Lockette: Like how?

Bloom: (Thinks for a second) Well, he was definitely here when everyone else was. But I dunno. (Looks through his things and finds a few books) Hey look. (Stella and Amore come over and look at the book) This is a book about vampires and vampire-like creatures, like the silent-takers.

Stella: So?

Bloom: So maybe the creatures didn't bother with his stuff because he's a threat to them or because he knows a lot about them.

Lockette: How'd you know for sure?"

Bloom: I don't.

Stella: But if what you say is true, then what about Jeremy himself? Would the silent-takers attack him or leave him be?

Bloom: I don't know. Maybe we can ask Ms. Faragonda when we get back.

(There's static in their earpieces and it's Scarlet at the other end)

Scarlet: Winx. Trouble at the headmistress's office. Get here quick. And whatever you do, (in a whisper) don't say my name.

(There's more static and then silence)

Bloom: Scarlet needs our help.

Stella: But why can't we say her name?

Bloom: I'm not sure, but we better listen to her.

Bloom and Stella: Magic Winx!

[Musa and Layla]

(There's silence as the two examine the room that was once Scarlet's. Eventually, they all look at Scarlet's torn belongings).

Layla: So what do you think we should do?

Musa: (Thinks for a bit) Well, Scarlet probably wants her stuff back, right? (Layla nods) So do you think it's worth trying to fix her things and give it back to her?

Tune: That would be the best, I think. She would want her belongings in the best condition rather than in a mess.

Musa: Then it's settled. (Starts to casts some spells, repairing things and storing them in Scarlet's suitcases while Tune neatly dusts of the finish products and suitcases)

Layla: (Follows Musa's example and starts to fix and put things away when she stumbles on a book. She shrugs and is about to place it in the suitcase when she notices something) Hey Musa, (takes the book) Check this out.

Musa: (Looks at the book and takes it from Layla) _Healing Spells from the Dark Sorcerers and Mythical Creatures_. Oh my god, it's a black magic book!

Layla: That's impossible. Scarlet's a fairy. What would she want with black magic books and spells? (Notices another and picks it up.) Here's another. _Controlling Your Dark Energy and Producing Successful Dark Magic Spells_. This is crazy.

Musa: Well, it's with her stuff. You think we should add it in?

Tune: But what if it isn't hers? Then that would be insulting her.

Layla: I've got it. (Casts a spell on her stuff to be fixed and neatly placed in suitcases. She casts another spell to shrink the suitcases. She picks it up and puts it in her pocket).

Musa: Nicely done. So what about the books?

Layla: (Casts the same spell with the books and puts them in another pocket). I think it's best to ask her if it's hers once we give her back her belongings. That way, we won't be insulting her if they're not and if they are, she'll explain.

Musa: That's right. If those books were Scarlet's, she'd have a good reason.

(There's static in their earpieces and Scarlet's at the other end.)

Scarlet: Winx. Trouble at the headmistress's office. Get here quick. And whatever you do, (in a whisper) don't say my name.

(There's more static and then nothing)

Musa: Scarlet's in trouble. We should have never let her go on her own.

Layla: Well then, we better find her and help her out.

Musa and Layla: Magic Winx!

[Now back to Scarlet]

Fury raised her hands in the air, a dark green glow growing in size, and threw it at me. I stretched my arms out and spun in the air really fast, causing a tornado to throw the spell back at her. Once it hit her, I launched my invisible arrows at her, trying to get her out of the office. They all hit her, but she refused to leave.

"That's it," she said as she struggled to get back on her feet, "I'm gonna find out what makes you tick." Fury threw herself at me, grabbing my neck and placing the palm of her hand on my forehead.

_I've gotta think of something!_

"Mekhoyphc Hetavthunx Wojuk!" I shouted. I felt the dark magic from Fury being blocked by my spell. She began to look frustrated as she tried harder and harder, but failed. I bent my wrist back so that my hands could face down on the floor on either side of my head, sort of like as if I were about to do a bridge-stand. I shifted my weight onto my hands and brought my knees to my chest, aiming at Fury. Without waiting, I shot my weight at her, kicking her off of me. She grabbed onto the bookshelves and tried to pull herself up.

"How'd you…wait a minute…that was black magic." She turned to face me, angrier than ever. "How could a wimpy fairy pull off that kind of spell?!"

"Simple," said a voice behind me, "A few years back we studied at Cloud Tower for a while." I turned around and saw the Winx Club ready to fight, transformed and all. Stella examined the witch and began to laugh.

"Nice outfit," she said jokingly, "Where'd you get it? Bad-Taste-R-Us?" Fury began to glow green with anger.

"You're ones to talk," she said. She rose into the air and raised her arms to the side above shoulder length, "Spiral of Rage!" The green glow around her began to unwind and became a spiral, aiming for us. We all flew out of the way just in time, but the impact still hit us. Suddenly, she began to launch random attacks at us that were just as strong as the spiral, hitting the books on Isabella's shelves. I began to grow really mad and focused my energy entirely. I placed my arms out on either side of me, feeling the wind wrapping around them from the shoulders down.

"How dare you," I said. She stopped throwing her attacks aimlessly and turned towards me, "You think that you can walk in here and act like you own the place, taking things in and out and destroying them." I looked up at her and gave her a smirk. "Well think again, witch." I raised my arms and then aimed them at Fury, releasing the wind that wrapped around my arms. They shot out and began to wrap around her, like the ribbons around my forearm. She struggled and tried to escape, but the wind held onto her tightly, causing her to struggle with her own strength.

"And that's what I call my ribbon wind binding technique."

"Nicely done!" Layla said. She placed her hands together and a pink light shot around Fury, wrapping her along with the wind. "That'll keep her from trying anything."

"I'll create a dome to put her in," Tecna suggested, shoot her electric green digital beams to form a circular dome that held Fury in place. I stopped the wind from wrapping around her and watched flora and Musa Launching an attack together.

"How about some music to calm your nerves?" Musa asked.

"Or flowers to take that anger away," Flora added. The outline of speakers appeared on either side of Fury and began to boom loudly while Flora's flowers stuck to her like leeches and drained away her rage power.

"Now for a double light convergent spell," Stella shouted as Bloom and she created a bright light that surrounded her. Fury screamed as the light came around and then, it stopped. The light ball was flung back at Bloom and Stella; the flowers flew to Flora while Musa had a taste of her own loud music. Tecna was soon contained in her own digital cage and Layla was wrapped up in her pink rope. Fury crackled an evil laugh and faced me.

"You're 'club' is pathetic. No wonder you're in with them. Are you one of the founders or something?" She began to laugh again, causing me to get angry. My left hand formed its "L" shape and I launched four invisible arrows, causing her to be pined to the wall. Over her shoulders and ankles were little red lines that were formed by my arrows.

"You little…" She looked over at the other Winx girls and smiled, "I'll see you soon. Remember what you've done to me."

"I'll forget it as soon as you leave, Fur, guaranteed." Fury looked annoyed and snapped her fingers. With that, she disappeared. I flew down to the ground and looked around at everyone. They were all back on their feet and came towards me.

"I told you that you shouldn't go alone," Flora said.

"Yeah," Musa second, "At least if there was another person here with you, you wouldn't have to face that psychotic witch alone."

"I'm sorry, guys," I said, "But I was fine. I used Tecna's earpiece and you all came when I needed you. No problem right?" They all sighed.

"So who was that witch and what was she doing here?" Stella asked.

"That's Fury, witch or anger and fear," I answered, "And I dunno. She came in when I was looking around." I knew that the second part was a lie, but I didn't think telling them anything yet was going to help this situation.

"Don't you guys think her costume looked…familiar?" Layla asked us. We all thought about it before everyone but me answered.

"Oh my god!" Musa said, "She's got a similar outfit to the Trix!"

"The what?" I asked.

"There're these three witches that love to cause problems for everyone and used to attend Cloud Tower," Bloom began, "However, they took away my power once freshman year and became very powerful and took over their school, causing themselves to be expelled and sent to Lake Rockaluché for rehabilitation."

"However," Musa continued, "They were set free by Lord Darkar, owner of the dark phoenix, and tried to talk over the realms by taking the codex and turning Bloom into Dark Bloom sophomore year." I turned to Bloom who shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"Then," Layla began, "The Trix were sent to the O-Mega dimension, which they managed to escape form, and they freed Valtor, the worst villain we'd ever faced. He came out at Andros and completely took over. Luckily, since we all had out enchantix, we were able to beat him easy and the Trix went back to Lake Rockaluché, and we haven't seen them since."

"Wow. Sounds like you've got a lot of history with those three," I said.

"And it gets worse," Flora added, "They're decedents of the three ancient witches that actually once destroyed Bloom's planet."

"Luckily," Tecna concluded, "When the original ancient witches decided to try and attack again, we stopped them in time and was able to reunite Bloom with her birthparents."

"That's a story," I said, feeling my spirits sink, "You guys have tackled so much. It's no wonder this club was created." Stella laughed and wrapped her arm around my neck.

"Well, trouble tends to find us and it keeps getting harder than the last. It's a good thing that you're on our team 'cause it looks like our toughest challenge has arrived." I smiled.

"I'm happy to help." I paused for a second before asking, "So did you guys find anything? Before we see Ms. Faragonda, we might wanna get our facts straight." I turned to Flora and Tecna first.

"We found out how the monsters got in," Flora said.

"That's great," I said, "How?" Tecna pulled out her mini-laptop and held it in front of me, hitting a button to play in slow motion. As I watched, I noticed me flying out into town getting a dress for Jeremy, something I already knew. However, what I did see was something I couldn't even believe. I watched silent-takers, one after another, climbing into the school and through the gate, entering and passing through the toughest security…and it was through my wind current. I staggered a bit and watched it over and over again, not believing what my eyes were seeing.

"So they came in because I left?" I asked, making sure I had all my facts right.

"Yes, unfortunately, that's the case," Flora confirmed, "We know that you weren't letting them in on purpose. You didn't even know it." I suddenly felt the weight of guilt fall over my shoulders, causing my legs to give way and bringing me to the floor.

"Everyone was killed because I wanted to get a dress." Flora quickly sat down next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"No, Scarlet. I'm sure that they would've come in anyway."

"That's right," Tecna said, "They were waiting for someone to leave so that they could enter. So if it wasn't you, it would have been someone else." I thought about it for a moment before sighing.

"Well, we know how they got in." I looked up at Stella and Bloom next. "What about you guys?"

"Nothing really," Bloom testified, "But we did go into Jeremy's room and found something…odd."

"What?" I asked eagerly, surprised that a clue was found near my late crush's stuff.

"We noticed that all of things were unharmed. It was as if an attack had never happened."

"Plus," Stella added, "We found this book that about vampires and vampire-like creatures. Yuck! Talk about nasty." I felt my blood freeze by the mention of vampires.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yeah, does that mean anything?" I got back on my feet and pointed to the bookshelves.

"All of the books missing on the shelves are vampire or vampire based books." Flora rose up too and laced her fingers together and resting them on her collar bone.

"That doesn't sound good at all."

"So whatever these creatures are up to has to do with vampires," Tecna concluded.

"Did you guys find anything odd in the girls' dormitory?" Bloom asked Musa and Layla. The two girls looked at one another for a moment, exchanging looks that appeared as if they found something and don't want to say it.

"Really, girls, if you found something, anything, let us know. Please," I said, hoping that they could tell us what's going through their minds. Finally, Musa took a deep breath.

"We did find something…In your room and…by your stuff," she said, breaking up the sentence as if they were separate thoughts. I felt my muscles tighten, worried about what they were trying to say. She looked at Layla, who pulled something from her back pocket (I didn't even know she had one) and dropped it on the floor. As it fell, I watch it grow into the size of books…books that I was well aware were mine. My eyes grew wide as I looked at the two of them, not knowing what to say.

"We found these with your stuff and we didn't know if they were yours or not," Layla replied, "But they were the only things unharmed during the battle in your room." I reached down and picked up the books, holding them close to my chest, and tears forming in my eyes. I really didn't want to tell them anything, especially anything that related to "my other self", but I also didn't want them to think that I was hiding something. As all of these feeling stirred in my gut, I began to think of dad. He gave me these books to study healing spells using dark magic. He wanted me to learn everything and anything that I could get my hands on. My mind began to calm down as I began to realize what to say.

"My father is the advisor to the royal family," I began, "He taught himself every spell be it light or dark magic so that if we were attacked, he can provide something to protect our people. Since I was raised with the destiny of being both a warrior fairy of Aquila and the advisor to Princess Kayla once she took rule, he began to teach me all that he'd taught himself, starting off with dark magic healing spells, which I never knew existed." I looked up at the Winx, feeling some tears run down my cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all sentimental."

"Don't worry, Scarlet, we just wanted to make sure it was yours," Musa said walking over and looking at the book. "Maybe it's something you could teach us sometime."

"No way!" Stella screamed, "I don't do dark, it makes me turn pale." I giggled.

"It's alright. You don't have to do anything."

"What about you?" Flora asked, "Did you and Luna find anything else beside the missing books?" I thought about for a moment, debating if I should tell them about my file missing along with four others. Would they make a connection between the vampire books, my spell books, and my file? I felt the paranoia fill my mind and I took a deep breath.

"Well…all of the girls' files are missing: grades, personal information, their application, everything."

"Is yours missing too?" Layla asked. I forced a laugh.

"Yep. Mine and every girl student in this school."

"Is that why you didn't want us saying your name? Because that witch might have known?" I nodded.

"That's really strange," Tecna analyzed, "Why would anyone want girl files and vampire books?"

"I dunno, Tecna, but I say we go back to Faragonda's office, tell her what we know, and ask. Maybe she'll know something that we don't." Bloom suggested. Stella nodded and sighed in relief.

"You said it, Bloom. Just leave everything to me." She took of a ring on her finger and flew it in their air. "Solaria!" she called, causing the ring to become a staff. With one wave over all of us, Stella transported us back to Alfea, right outside Faragonda's door.

[But…]

(Fury enters the large, dark hall and bows.)

Fury: Master Cian.

Cian (aka: Mysterious voice): Fury. Have you returned the files?

Fury: (Rises) I have, but there were some little fairies there.

Cian: Fairies? I thought I'd killed them all!

Fury: Master Cian, these weren't Inter-Realms fairies.

Cian: How can you be so sure?

Fury: One of them spoke of Cloud Tower, which is located in the realm called Magix, so I believe that they go to that fairy school there.

Cian: I sent my creatures to Magix to try and find the vampire fairy and they were defeated. However, one was able to get some blood from whom ever attacked them.

Fury: Really? Is it hers?

Cian: I haven't finished my experiments on it, but if it is, then we know she resides in Magix.

Fury: I wouldn't be surprised if she's one of those fairies from this group called "The Winx Club".

Cian: Winx Club? (Furry nods and Cian rises and steps down form his large thrown and begins to walk towards her) I've heard about them. They're very strong. (Fury cringes from his thought, but he ignores it) They created the new company of light after their latest battle with a sorcerer named Valtor. Yes, I can believe that she's with them. They're strong and with proper training, she is too. I've heard greatly about those six fairies but I've never seen them.

Fury: I don't know which group you're talking about, but this Winx Club has seven fairies, not six.

Cian: (Faces her, placing his evil grin and showing his fangs once more). How interesting. When Inter-Realms is destroyed, this Winx Club gains an extra member. (Looks at Fury) Go and find these Winx and study them well. (His smile widens) Bring samples of their blood. If one of them matches the blood from my silent-taker from Magix, then I believe we've found her.

Fury: (Bows) As you wish.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Scarlet's Secret.

"Well now, that's some story," Faragonda said, adjusting her glasses, "So you're saying that the school was attacked right after Scarlet left because the silent-takers used her wind current to enter the school. Then there's the fact that there's a section of the school that isn't ruined in the boys dormitory along with Scarlet's books. Finally, there's this Fury witch who's working for a mysterious 'He', interested in vampire and vampire-based books, and every female student record missing?" We all nodded. "Oh dear. Another villain has entered our midst and you girls happen to be near it once again."

"I've noticed it too," Stella mentioned, "And it's beginning to get annoying."

"Annoying or not its important," Faragonda continued, "And it's not just girls' files that went missing, Scarlet's is too and that could be bad."

"Why, Ms. Faragonda?" I asked.

"Because if their goal was to kill everyone and find the dead body of a certain girl, I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't be happy that one escaped."

"But Scarlet instructed us not to say her name," Bloom reminded everyone, "So Fury thinks that she's an Alfea fairy."

"Which she is and that's good," Faragonda finalized, "I'm very proud of you girls. Taking on this powerful witch and not transforming into your enchantix."

"You told us not to, Ms. Faragonda," Tecna mentioned, "But I also have been wanting to ask you about that."

"Ask away Tecna."

"Why do we have to start all over again?"

"All over again?" Faragonda repeated.

"I mean, We've all got our enchantix powers and that's suppose to be our final fairy form. Technically, we're guardian fairies now. Why do we have to summarize everything we've learned for the past three years into one?"

"A good question, my dear. Indeed you've all earned your enchantix one way or another, be it by sacrifice, will power, or just reaching beyond the enchantix magic level, and you've achieved you full fairy form. However, with new villains growing and becoming stronger every year, I didn't want to leave you six now seven the way you are. I had a feeling that something stronger was going to come soon, so I thought of a way to provide you full enchantix power by perfecting each stage of your fairy form. Once you've done that, you'll be able to only transform into your enchanix form and that's it. All of the other stages would have been perfected and therefore no more of use to you and of course you can change back like always into your neutral form. Does that answer your question, Tecna?"

"Yes, Ms. Faragonda. I understand now."

"Excuse me," I interrupted, "But what do you mean by gaining an enchantix by reaching beyond its magic level?"

"My, we're full of good questions, aren't we? Well, let's create a scenario where you don't have your enchantix, but you've got the power of one. You've got the same amount of power as the rest of the Winx except for the actual form. Even in that's the case, you continue training with the Winx Club and get stronger. Once you've reached the perfection point, your enchantix will burst forth and you will have its power and form." I felt my eyes grow wide and my jaw open.

"Can that really happen to me? Hypothetically speaking, of course."

"Yes, however, it would be incomplete, since you haven't sacrificed yourself for your planet or for someone there. But that can be fixed by the test finding you somehow. In the mean time, you'd just train and learn how to control it."

"And that's possible?" Faragonda nodded. "That's incredible."

"It is. But enough about enchantix and evil creatures. I'll send word if there's anything else, but try to relax until then." With that thought with us, we headed back towards our room. I guessed that since it was still in the middle of a school day classes were still in session. Thank god we didn't have to attend any of them. My mind was filled with other thoughts anyway.

"Well I'll be sad when I can't have my first fairy form," Stella announced when we closed the door to our room, "I've had that form since I could remember."

"At least you've had it for that long," Bloom mentioned, "I've got mine for only three years and now I'm gonna lose it forever. That's a little depressing."

"Yeah, but come on, girls. We would have gained full power. All of those years of training and school work would be worth that," Musa pointed out.

"I agree," Tecna second, "And if we were to remain the way we are now, there's no way that we could survive whatever might be coming."

The Winx began to debate while my mind was lost in my own problems. The night of the new moon was coming and even though I had a plan, my gut was telling me that the Winx wouldn't let me off that easily. Luna was upset about my decision anyway, and she's probably going to tag along because she's my pixi, so what excuse could I have. And worst, what if someone at school found out? That would be horrible.

"Yoo Hoo! Scarlet, are you even listening?" I jumped out of my seat, totally surprised by Stella's loud voice.

_Man, she's always loud when I'm thinking._ "Sorry, Stella."

"Man, Scarlet, are you alright? You've been quiet for a while." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Just a lot on my mind…the files and mine missing is one of them," I lied, trying my best not to slip up. Layla placed a smile on her face and dug into her pocket.

"Well here's something that's gonna cheer you up." She threw the small thing at my feet and I noticed it grew in size like my books, but instead of my books themselves, they were my belongings that I thought I'd lost!

"Oh my god!" I shouted, opening the suitcases and looking at my restored things, "How did you do this? When did you have the time?"

"Simple. We went into your old room and just restored everything with a few fixing spells," Musa answered, "We thought that you'd be happy to have them back."

"And you're right. Thank you." My worries began to disappear as my fingers ran over my familiar belongings: clothes, shoes, accessories, pictures, etc. Instead, I thought of Aquila and Inter-Realms and how much fun I had there before this crazy tragedy occurred. There was a sudden ringing that caught my attention and I turned to Stella, who had a huge grin on her face.

"It must be Brandon calling," Flora guessed, "She always smiles like that when it's him."

"Hello?" Stella said, answering her phone, "Hi darling…Really? You want us there?…It's tomorrow?… Then we'll be there. Bye!" As she hung up, Bloom asked, "What's tomorrow?"

"The seniors at Red Fountain are doing a special performance and we're invited to watch them!"

"Really?" I asked, "What's it like?"

"Basically they fight each other, use dragons, show off their new technology, basically anything to make girls fall at their feet," Layla answered.

"My favorite is the battle sequence," Bloom said, "Sky's one of Red Fountain's top students." Musa came over and whispered loudly in my ear, "The only reason Bloom likes those battles is because Sky always wins." Bloom blushed a little and we laughed.

"Well I can't wait to see if Timmy's invented something new this time," Tecna mentioned.

"Well there's only one way to find out," Flora said, "Let's head on over early tomorrow so that we can get a sneak-peek at them before their performance!"

"You can go on ahead," I suggested, "That really doesn't sound like my kind of thing."

"Really?" Stella said totally stunned, "But Matt's gonna be there too." I felt my heart bang loudly once against my chest. Hopefully it didn't show in my face.

"Th-There's no way that I'd wanna see that ice-boy," I replied, turning my head so that Stella wouldn't see.

"Oh come on, Scarlet," Layla said, "You know that you've got something for him."

"There's no point in hiding it," Musa added.

"Come on, I still like Jeremy, even if he's gone." I paused, "Besides, Matt wouldn't want me there anyway."

"Listen, Scarlet, the best way to move on is to find another. I'm sure Jeremy would understand if you like someone else," Stella said.

"But I don't!"

"Look, fighting isn't gonna get us anywhere," Bloom interrupted, "Let's just all go together." She turned to me. "Plus you might be able to learn something or two from their show, since your old school was for warriors." I began to think about it. _True, but I already know a lot. And the Winx will probably take me whether I want to or not…and seeing Matt again wouldn't be so bad…I think…_

"Alright," I said, "I'll go."

********************************************************************************

My mouth fell open at the sight of the school. It was like…a really modern and techno umbrella with water falling at four different points, points that I guessed were something that indicated north, east, south, and west.

"Come on, Scarlet," Musa said, looping her arm though mine, "Let's get to the top." She pulled me to an elevator platform that shot us to the top, not stopping at the stem part. Once we were at the top and the doors opened, I thought we were in another place. There were trees and roads and lots of other specialists walking around. I felt the wind rustle through my air, smelling the crisp, cool breeze of the waterfalls.

"This is incredible! How did they get this?"

"When the Trix attacked it three years ago, they rebuilt it and had a special ceremony for it," Tecna answered, "Timmy helped with the design."

"Well I applaud him," I replied, walking forward and slowly turning around at the same time. I still couldn't believe this place.

"I wonder where our specialists are," Flora thought aloud.

"Eager to see Helia?" Layla asked, nudging her with her elbow. Flora blushed and nodded.

"I agree," Stella said, "Let's start looking."

"You guys go on ahead," I suggested, "I wanna check out the school some more."

"Alright," Bloom said, "Don't get lost and meet us soon." I waved good-bye and wondered through the school.

"This is amazing." I paused for a moment before looking to my left and seeing Luna, looking just as amazed as I was.

"Luna? I didn't know you were coming." She appeared insulted…oops.

"I'm your bonded pixi. The rest of the pixies and I follow our fairies unless there's a really good reason not to."

_There she goes again with the "bonded pixi/fairy" thing._ "I don't mind, but I agree with you, how could they build a place like this?"

"I dunno. I've never even heard of legendary floating schools."

"Well, this isn't that old. It's only been here for two years." Before Luna could reply, she gasped and hid behind me. "What? What's wrong?"

"It's the specialist that fixed your leg."

"Matt?" I asked, feeling my hopes suddenly fly.

"Yeah." She peeked and pointed to my left. "He's right over there." I looked in the direction and saw something move through the trees. Curiosity struck me and I walked over there quietly, hoping that I wouldn't disturb him from anything. Once I got close enough, I saw him in his uniform: navy and beige racer suit with a royal blue cap. He was practicing with his fang-sword (that's what I like to call it now), slicing the air with a "swooshing" sound and quickly switching weapons to his bow and arrow. I watched his movements, they were swiftly in tune with his thoughts and were totally flawless (I should know). My eyes, however, roamed up to his face. It was so focused on practicing that I could see his thoughts through his ice blue eyes. My heart beat quickened with his movements, nervous that he would make a mistake and eager to see him do more. I continued to watch until his eyes passed mine, sending the icy chill through my body and causing me to draw a quick breath, holding it tightly in my lungs. He stopped fighting and put his weapon away, running his fingers though his dark brown hair.

"Well well well, if it isn't the strange fairy from Alfea," He said with a cold smile. My sudden amazement of him vanished and I walked into his training circle, leaving Luna behind.

"And if it isn't the Ice-boy from Red Fountain," I replied.

"Ice-boy?" he repeated, "No one's called me that before."

"First time for everything I guess."

"Not everything," he corrected, "I haven't lost a battle once here against my peers."

"Really?" I said, trying to sound doubtful, but it actually came out of my mouth sounding surprised and amazed…great.

"Yep, and I don't plan on losing this one."

"Who're you against?"

"I dunno. I won't find out till I'm at the ring." He pulled out his red fang sword and from afar, aimed the blade at my neck, it curving towards him. "Of course, who ever he is won't stand a chance. I've been unbeatable here."

"Have you ever battled against Sky?"

"Yes I did." He moved the blade, pretending to block an attack from the right. "And I won."

"Impressive," I admitted, "I've experienced both victory and defeat." Matt's blade disappeared and he looked at me with confusion.

"I didn't know Alfea did battles against each other."

"I don't think they do," I replied, "At least that I know of. I transferred here a little while ago."

"I remember that." I blinked at him for a moment, trying to catch my breath. He approached me and gave me a sly, crooked smile. "You're the fairy from that party at Alfea." I returned the smile.

"I guess you remembered."

"What school did you come from?"

"Inter-Realms Academy."

"That's the place for warrior fairies, right?" I nodded. "So you're a fighter." My smile remained.

"Think you can beat me?"

"Of course." My smile turned into a scowl, which pleased him. "Anyway, I've gotta continue practicing. Just sit back and watch me in the ring. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two."

"I doubt it." With that, I headed back towards the auditorium. Luna came out from her hiding spot and followed me completely confused.

"What was that all about?" she asked with eagerness in her voice.

"That jerk," I muttered, totally ignoring her, "Who does he think he is. I wouldn't be surprised if he was lying."

"You sound a little ticked off." I froze still.

"I guess he doesn't know how to treat a young lady."

"Yeah. Reminds me of Riven in a way."

"Riven was just a loner. This one's just over-confident."

"LAYLA! MUSA! WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE!" I shouted, totally surprised and angry by their sudden presence. I turned my head and saw the two of them with a grin on their face.

"The show's about to start," Musa said, "so we came out here looking for you."

"However, it looks like we've interrupted something that's more interesting to you that the show," Layla pointed out. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"It's not like that…really."

"But he stopped practicing to talk to you."

"Doesn't matter, Musa…Wait, how long were you there till?"

"We were there from when you were staring at him," Layla answered. I felt my cheeks grow hot and my body temperature rising from embarrassment. "Don't worry, I think he's just shy."

"I don't think so, Layla. Look, can we just meet up with the others?"

"Sure thing." But the two weren't done talking and asking about Matt. They compared his behavior to Riven's and Nabu's (Who I guessed was Layla's fiancée) a lot, but in the end, they agreed that I liked him and that once the other winx knew, they'd do their best to make us a couple. I tried to block their voices out of my head, but once we reached the others and they were filled in, I heard it from all angles.

"Oh Scarlet," Flora said, "You should tell him how you feel."

"Isn't it too soon, though," Tecna pointed out.

"True, we wouldn't want to scare him away."

"So what's the program for today?!" I shouted in hope that the subject would change. Thankfully, Bloom smiled and pointed at the ring.

"The first thing is the dragon show and battles with one half of the seniors, then break, then the other half goes, and then the final party ceremony afterwards."

"Sounds long," I mentioned.

"Well it is," Musa agreed, taking a seat next to me, "It's exciting at first, but unless it's someone you know, it gets pretty boring after a while."

"Well I think it's entertaining all the way!" Stella shared, "Though Brandon is the hottest guy here, there's others to look at too." I rolled my eyes and a loud voice began to boom overhead.

"Thank you all for coming to the showing of our senior class," it said, "These boys have been training these past three years to the point when they will present all they've learned from those years here. First we have the first half segment with their dragons. Boys, show these people what you've got!" The opened area auditorium filled with applause as a line of guys poured into the center ring. I recognized Sky and Brandon together and Riven not far off behind with Matt at his heels. Even from far away I can see Matt and his eyes. They looked focused and proud at the same time. Soon after came Helia and Timmy with about five guys in between them, forming a circle with their backs facing inwards. A loud cranky sound of iron gates being lifted echoed as many dragons poured into the ring.

"Holy shit!" I muttered. I turned to Bloom and asked, "Can they have all those dragons in there at the same time?"

"Well they're seniors now," she answered with a smile, "Eventually, each specialist gets his own dragon to control. Sky, Brandon, Riven, and Timmy had theirs since freshmen year."

"Impressive."

"Just wait till you see the show," Stella added. My eyes fell back onto the ring and noticed the guys with their hands out and the dragons' eyes on them. I watched as certain ones flew into the air and dove towards us, pulling up at the last minute, scaring me a little as one beige one with red wings was about one inch away from my face. As it flew away, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"That was Matt's dragon," Flora whispered.

"You sure?"

"Affirmative," Tecna replied. She pointed a little above her heart, "You've noticed those clips the boys have here?" I nodded as she pointed at the dragons, "Their color on that clip let them know which dragon and weapons are theirs, and isn't Matt's red?"

"You're right," I said, feeling really angry all of a sudden, "Is he trying to kill me by dragon!?" I said loudly. Layla slapped a hand from behind me over my mouth.

"Shh. You don't wanna get us kicked out, right?" I nodded and she let me go.

"Jerk," I muttered as I watched the rest of the sow, keeping an eye specifically on Matt and his dragon. Finally, the performance ended and the battles were now ready to commence. The first few were random people I didn't even know, then came out Sky and Riven. Musa and Bloom began to cheer loudly, each for their boyfriend. Both boys looked up. Sky waved at Bloom while Riven gave Musa a confident smile.

"So Musa, how much do you wanna bet on Riven winning?" Stella asked.

"I'm not betting anything," Musa answered, "Riven always does his best and I'm sure that one day he'll beat him. Maybe today's the day." However, Musa was wrong. The battle lasted a long time and Riven was an amazing fighter, but Sky was only one step ahead of him when it came to most of the basics. Riven was able to knock out Sky's sword, but when he thought he had a chance, Sky pulled out his blue boomerang and knocked Riven down. Bloom shouted so loudly and Musa sighed.

"Don't worry, Musa," I said, placing my hand on her shoulder, "I'm sure that the fact you're here makes Riven feel better. Maybe you can even comfort him later" She shook her head.

"When he loses against Sky, He just wants to be alone."

"You don't know that." Musa sighed and smiled at me.

"We'll see. Let's see who's next." It was another while till it was one of "our" specialist's turn: Brandon vs. Timmy. Stella and Tecna cheered loudly and I just watched. Timmy used logic to block Brandon's attack, but I knew from experience that sometimes a defense isn't the best course of action all the time. Eventually, Timmy began to strike and Brandon was ready. After a while, Timmy's shooting weapon was knocked out of his hand and Brandon's green, double sided sword knocked him down. Tecna was bummed and Stella was killing her vocal chords.

"Stella, you're gonna have a frog in your throat if you keep shouting like that," Layla pointed out. Stella covered her mouth and sat back down.

"My Brandon's amazing."

"Timmy was almost there," Tecna muttered, "He's equally matched to Brandon." We all listened to Tecna and Stella bicker about their boys when Flora finally shushed them, waving her hand in front of them.

"Helia's next!"

"That was quick," I commented, "Who's he against?" I looked into the ring and out came Ice-Boy.

"You can do it, Helia!" Flora shouted . Helia heard and bowed to her. She sighed, enchanted by his charm, and almost fell backwards. Tecna and Layla grabbed her arm and lowered her down to her seat.

"You gonna cheer for Matt?" Stella asked. I didn't answer her for I was thinking about that myself. Of course I was mad about his proud attitude and attacking me with his dragon. But the memory of him training so hard kept on rolling through my mind. I watched him as he and Helia began to fight each other. I heard Flora cheering and Helia reacting well to that. After a few minutes, Matt turned the tables and was totally kicking Helia's butt. A smile grew on my lips in amazement. Helia was putting up a really good fight, but Matt seemed to be ahead of him.

"Well look at that," Musa said, "Matt seems to be winning this fight."

"Oh don't say that, Musa," Flora pleaded, "It's not over yet anyway. Helia still has a chance."

"Actually, if Matt continues to keep this up, then it's definite that he'll lose."

"Exactly, Tecna," Digit replied.

_God, these pixies are everywhere. I hadn't even noticed them._

"Well you don't know that, Digit!" Chatta threatened.

"Come on girls," Amore said, interrupting the fight, "Let's watch. Besides, it's a friendly fight for show."

"This fight itself is just embarrassing," Tune announced, "Just look at that dirt."

"COME ON, HELIA!" Luna shouted. I turned to her and gave her a glare. "What? Matt's a jerk and deserves to lose a fight."

"That reminds me," Layla said, "Matt said that he hasn't lost a match ever here."

"He even beat Sky," Musa added.

"That can't be true," Bloom said with doubt in her voice, "Sky's one of the top students. It's not possible." My eyes went back to the match and I watched Matt pinning Helia against the wall with his red arrows. From what I saw in the previous fights, Helia would have to be knocked down to lose. Why was Matt stalling if he's got the skill? Helia broke away from the arrows and launched his hand string gripper thingies at him. Matt dodged quickly and used his bow to try and knock Helia down, but he missed. Then, I don't know why, Matt looked through the audience as if looking for someone. He continued to fight and dodge, but when he had a moment, he'd look.

_Who's he looking for?_ I heard my fellow Winx questioning his actions, but I didn't care. Deep inside my heart, I was wishing that it was me…

Matt's eyes began to scan my section of the auditorium and found me. Once he did, he froze and just stared. I didn't take my eyes off him either, though I believe I should have. Something called him from the ring (Helia I think) and Matt looked away. However, as the fighting continued, Matt's style completely changed. His moves became sloppy and he was missing easy shots. It wasn't long after when Helia was able to knock him down. I was surprised that I felt sorry for him, but a lose is a lose and he only has himself to blame.

"That was unfair." We all looked at Flora with confused looks on our faces. She looked displeased and shook her head. "Helia should have won with Matt's full attention. That jerk doesn't have any respect."

"Wow, Flora, I've never seen you so upset about a fight before," Stella mentioned. I looked back at the ring and saw Matt looking mad and upset with himself, kicking the dirt as he left. When Helia placed his arm over his shoulder, Matt didn't brush it off, but he still appeared upset.

Musa was right in that this battle thing lasted a really long time. Eventually we were allowed to break and went looking for the boys. It was easy to find them since they were just outside waiting for us. The girls ran to their boys and I just walked on over to Matt. He was leaning against a tree with Riven on the other side, both lost in their own thoughts.

_He sorta looks like the night I first saw him_. I noticed Musa approaching Riven with a smile. _She's nervous? But she's his girlfriend._ Riven looked up and didn't move for moment, but without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around Musa's neck and held her tightly. I saw a cheerful smile grew on her lips as she hugged him back, whispering something that I couldn't hear.

_That-a-girl. Go comfort him with your charm._ With a deep breath, my feet began to carry me to Matt.

"Hey," I said. He didn't look up. I looked around and noticed that the winx girls were watching, but the guys had their back towards me. Layla placed both her hands to the side of her mouth and said, "Go talk to him," without saying a sound. I took another deep breath and faced the icy-boy.

"That was a good fight. You really knew how to control your sword and predict Helia's attack." Still nothing. I took another step forward and lowered my voice. "Look, it's alright if you lost. It something everyone's gotta experience at least once." Matt finally locked his eyes with mine, freezing my blood in place.

"It's one thing to lose after giving it your all, but that wasn't the case, was it?" he snapped. I took a step back, surprised by his sudden booming voice. The murmurs of the couples around me vanished as he continued.

"I would have been fine if you hadn't interrupted my practicing, but you little fairies insist on putting your nose where it doesn't belong. I don't know what-"

"Excuse me?" I interrupted, "You're blaming your lost on me?"

"Training takes concentration and no interruptions."

"Then you should have practiced in a classroom or something because when you're outside, people'll see you." He crossed his arms and looked away.

"I don't need to listen to some transfer fairy who couldn't even last at some warrior school with other fairies."

I swear I heard something snap in my head.

"Hey, Matt, cool it, will you?" Riven said interrupting.

"You're taking her side?" Matt asked, a hint of betrayal in his voice.

"Dude, you know that there's the training room open if you wanted to practice alone," Brandon reminded him.

"Well excuse me for wanting fresh air." I felt my magic rushing through my body. "Training outside is like practicing in the actual arena." It began to gather in both of my hands. "There was a reason that I was behind some trees." I raised them and aimed right at his chest. "If a fairy wants to watch, they can wait till the show starts."

The magic suddenly exploded and released itself at Matt. His face, along with everyone else, was shocked as he shot into the air. I cut of that spell and created a fist with my right hand. Feeling the wind wrapping around made me feel powerful. Matt began to fall and was ready to catch himself, but I wouldn't let him. I threw my fist at him, releasing the wind wrapped around my hand and knocking him backwards. He fell with a thump on his back and everyone gasped. I walked towards him as he slowly tried to get up, shaking a little from the impact.

"What the hell was that you-" I raised my hand and slapped him across his face.

"Don't you dare bring up my school EVER again!" He placed a hand over his red cheek, panting from the pain. "I don't care if you insult me, but don't blame me for your lost, which by the way is childish for a senior specialist. Seriously, what are you? A four-year-old blaming me for something you did?" I bent down and looked at his cold eyes.

"But don't you dare bring up Inter-Realms ever again. You have no right to talk about it when you no nothing about it." Matt didn't respond, but stood up and walked away, throwing his cape as he turned. Riven stepped out from the group and ran after him, not calling after him, but catching up quickly. I hadn't moved from my spot for tears began to grow in my eyes. My heart began to fill with guilt for my actions, even if what he said was wrong, my actions didn't need to be so harsh. I heard footsteps coming around me, bending down so as to be at my level. A pair of arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly.

"Matt did not have the right to blame you for the fight," Flora said.

"Nor did he have the right to talk about your school," Musa added.

"Inter-Realms is a prestigious academy for fairies and specialists to become warriors. He probably got jealous of your history," Tecna mentioned, trying to cheer me up. I nodded and gently pulled out of Flora's arms.

"Thanks," I replied, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

"But I'm still confused with why he's mad at you?" Layla asked, "I mean, just because it's his first lose doesn't mean he can blame it on you."

"First lose?" Sky repeated, "What're you talking about." We all looked up at him while Bloom answered about Matt's conversation with me. When she finished, the boys began to laugh.

"Matt's lost to many guys, including Sky," Brandon corrected, "He probably said that so as to impress you."

"Well he's not impressive," I said, standing up and brushing the dirt off my skirt. The wind began to pick up, bending the trees in different directions. A cold chill ran down my spin.

"What's wrong?" Bloom asked. I raised my hand to silence her as I listened. _That's odd. The wind spirits should be talking…unless…_

"Bloom, this isn't natural," I finally said.

"I agree," Flora replied, "The trees are in pain from the wind force."

"Scarlet, is this the doing of those spirits?" Musa shouted since the wind was now echoing in my ears. I shook my head and looked up.

"Someone's causing this."

"Right you are, Fairy." I looked down in front of me and saw Fury in her witch outfit, arms crossed and a huge grin on her face. "I knew you'd be here." The wind continued to blow harshly against us. Without thinking I placed my hand in the direction the wind was blowing and summoned an opposing wind to even out the force. Quickly, Fury's wind died down. She, however, didn't seem the slightest bit upset.

"How can you be back?" Stella shouted, "We just kicked your witch butt yesterday!"

"Simple." She raised her hands in the air as a dark green glow began to form. "Once I told a certain someone about this 'winx club', they commanded me to get some of their blood, though I prefer returning the favor by kicking your butts, or just destroying you."

"Well we're not gonna let you do that," Bloom said. She turned to us. "Ready girls?" With a nod, I took a deep breath and shouted with everyone: "Magic Winx!" My first fairy form appeared and I felt my magic buzzing. Something in that told me there was something odd about this witch. I flew into the air with her and launched a wind punch at her. She fell backwards like Matt and almost fell over the edge, but she caught herself.

"I summon you, Silent-takers," Fury said, placing a hand in front of her, "Suck the blood of anyone that steps in your path, but leave enough to keep them alive." I looked down and saw a silent-taker grow from the ground. A chill went through my spin from the grossness of its presents.

"Alright, Winx," Bloom shouted, "We know its weak spot. Let's go!" We and the specialists did our best to beat the creatures, but when one was defeated, two more grew in its place. Fury released a loud crackle.

"Well, it looks like you won't be going anywhere. You're gonna end up like those fairies at that school." My jaw tightened as I felt my anger rising. In the center of my hand, I felt warm magic pour out and forming a little, silver ball.

"I don't believe I will," I said, throwing the ball at her. As the ball approached her, it wrapped around her body and pulled her down to the ground. I noticed Helia launching his strings to wrap around her as well, holding her down.

"Now that's what I call silver!" Stella said, "I didn't think that our Scarlet would be able to produce such a color."

"Scarlet?" Fury repeated. She looked at me, totally surprised and curious, "As in…Scarlet Avila from the wind planet Aquila?" I froze in suddenly remembering my missing file. _Damn it! I forgot all about that!_

"My my, that certainly changes everything…doesn't it." Fury began to glow again, melting away Helia's strings and my spell. She stretched herself as far as she could and the ground began to shake.

"Wh-what's happening?" Flora asked, looking down from above.

"I dunno, but it doesn't look good," Layla answered.

"Look at the silent-takers." Everyone looked at where Bloom was pointing and saw all of the creatures head to the auditorium and morph together into a giant, not-so-lose, gross…vampire bug with teeth like a sharks.

"Alright team," I heard Sky say, "Let's take this villain down."

"We're right behind you, Sky," Bloom added. I followed her lead when something grabbed my wrist.

"And where do you think you're going?" Fury asked. I pulled my wrist back and tried to break free, but the harder I pulled, the tighter the rope got. "How the hell did you survive that attack at Inter-Realms?"

"Trade secret," I answered, raising my two first fingers and using my wind-whip to cut the rope free. After drawing the diagonal, nothing happened.

"I must know," Fury insisted, "Cian is looking for a certain person and no one at that school was it."

"Really? Koqujo!" The rope around my wrist melted and I focused my energy. Between my hands grew a mini-tornado. As I threw it at Fury, I couldn't help notice that the grin on her face hadn't changed. The mini-tornado knocked her down, but she just burst out laughing.

"A fairy that uses black magic? You're definitely a unique, I'll give you that." She stretched out her hands and a dark green pulse wave threw me backwards, slamming me against the wall. A hot pain shot through my head as I fell down to the ground. I slowly tried to lift myself, but I was shaking from the pain. The wind rushed around me and lifted me off the ground, bringing me into the air followed by a loud explosion occurred where I just was.

"_Be careful,_" The Magix wind spirits said, "_You can't fight her alone._"

"But unique or not, if you survived, then you're destined to die, just like your little friends." She held her hand out as a dark green sword grew in her hand. As she threw herself at me, I brought my hands in front of me and brought up my wind shield again. She bounced back and tried again.

_That's it! Time to pull out my old warrior tricks._ With my left hand, I kept the shield up, but with my right, I summoned the magic within me to pour out the silver liquid once again. This time, instead of shaping into a ball, it became a long (And by long I mean it was my height) sword with a glittery silver handle that held onto a scarlet colored jewel, which my hand grasped. I let the shield down, allowing Fury to attack one more time. Once she did, I blocked her move and used the wind power in the sword to knock her back. The sword 's power hummed through my hands as it blasted her farther than my regular spells.

"You bitch," Fury muttered quite loudly, "Let's try this spell again." She aimed her sword at me. "Show me your fear!" A dark green beam was released from its tip and I blocked it with my sword. I focused the magic in the sword to launch Fury's spell back at her by creating a current within the sword. As it threw the spell back, I noticed that fury was gone.

"Where'd she go?"

"Right here," she whispered in my ear, a hand on my shoulder. Before I could even react, Fury's long finger nails sunk deep into my skin and swiftly dragged them towards her. She groaned suddenly from afar, as if she wasn't right behind me anymore, but was farther. Before I could turn around, the smell of my blood filled my nose, stronger than before since it was closer to my face. My teeth didn't tingle, but ached in agony as if they were being pulled by an incredible force.

_Damn it! Where's Luna? _Since I was trying to prevent them from doing anything, my energy was being drained. My breathing began to shorten and I felt my wings no longer holding me up. Slowly, then quickly, I fell towards the ground with my face facing the sky, eyes closed. I expected for my back to hit the solid ground. However, a pair of arms caught me, one under my knees and the other around my upper back, across my wings and holding tightly below by shoulder. I opened my eyes and looked at the person, seeing his ice blue eyes looking at me.

"It's funny how every time I see you like this you're always hurt in some way."

"Matt?" I said, suddenly forgetting about the pain in my teeth. "What're doing here?"

"Saving your ass," he said, looking at the witch. I followed his glance and saw Fury pinned to the wall by four red arrows. He was about to move, but I told him not to. I stretched out my hand and aimed it at the pinned witch. A gust of wind came out of my hand and blew harshly at the witch. _Try to get any trace of any blood off her,_ I commanded the wind through my mind. Eventually, I saw little, shiny, droplets of scarlet blood leave her hand. The wind stopped on its own, telling me that she held no blood except her own.

"What was that about?" Matt asked.

"She wanted the blood of the Winx Club."

"The what?" I looked at him and replied, "You know who your team is dating? Each girl including me is in this group called the Winx Club." Matt still seemed confused. "Don't worry about it. You'll catch on eventually." There was a pause as he looked at me, not in a rude way or in a cold way, but as if he was seeing me for the first time. My heart pattered gently against my rib cage as I tried to control my wings from fluttering.

"You can put me down," I said, breaking his concentration on looking at me. He closed his eyes and smiled. Once my feet were on the ground, he walked around and placed his fingers on my slashed shoulder. I looked the other way, trying my best to not breathe in the blood.

"You don't seem to like blood a lot," he commented.

"When you're whole school's slaughtered and that's all you smell, you start to hate it," I replied, realizing that it was true. I hated the fact that I smell it all the time and that when I do, my whole body begins to react, specifically my teeth.

"Come on," he said, "Let's help out the others." He ran ahead of me towards the auditorium. I was about to follow when I remembered my cut. I placed my right hand over it and quickly scanned the area for people. It was empty.

"Touq," I muttered. I saw a dark, purple glow under my hand and I felt it heating up my shoulder. Once the light disappeared, I removed my hands and saw my wound had disappeared. With my energy quickly returning, I flew to my fellow Winx, noticing that they were having trouble with the monster.

"Quick!" Helia shouted, "We've gotta protect the girls while they work on a convergence spell."

"No way am I gonna let some bug creep take my sweetheart's blood," Brandon added. I saw the Winx behind them, huddled together trying to figure out what to do.

"This isn't like the other silent-takers," Tecna provided, "This is a large combination, but its weakness and sensitive spots are no longer there."

"So is it like a regular monster then?" I asked, lowering myself in the circle.

"Scarlet!" they all said.

"What happened?" Bloom asked.

"I'll tell you later, but for now, let's use our convergence and get rid of this blood-sucker." With a nod, we all held hands and focused. As I focused on my wind magic, a part of me decided to throw in a dark magic spell that might help. Although I realized that I might be disobeying my father's wish in not using within the proper location, I felt that it was right to use it now.

"Dark Purification Winx!" We chanted together, releasing the magic we created at the monster. To my surprise, the monster began to crumble within itself and disappeared.

"Well done, ladies," Sky said with a bow. Bloom ran to him and gave him a hug.

"Sorry it was late. We were missing someone."

"Yeah, tell us what happened back there," Musa insisted. I explained to them all how Fury wanted my blood and that because Stella said my name, she realized that I was from Inter-Realms and how she told me that "Cian" was looking for a "certain person" there. I mentioned that I also used black magic in some spells, but only for healing and setting myself free, nothing else.

"So you used some dark healing spell during our convergence?" Flora asked.

"I'm sorry, but I felt that it would help. I promise that I'm not gonna use it for something bad against you or anything."

"Relax, Scarlet," Layla said, placing her arm around my neck, "It was a good thing you did."

"Besides, your father taught you those spells incase of an emergency," Tecna reminded me, "So you used it for your and our benefit."

"Thanks…But there's one other thing I didn't mention yesterday…" Everyone was listening intently as I continued, "When I first saw Fury, she was returning all of the missing files except for five: me and my friends being three of them."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Bloom asked, surprised that I hadn't said anything sooner. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I was worried that you'd think that there's a connection between me, my black magic books, the silent-takers, and the missing vampire books."

"Scarlet," Flora said in her sweet voice, "We would never jump to conclusions about you."

"Well, maybe Stella would," Musa said as a joke.

"No I wouldn't!" She shouted feeling insulted, "Scarlet's a Winx and that's all that matters."

"I think the point is that you shouldn't feel like you should hide things from us," Bloom said. I looked her, finding it hard to believe what came out of her mouth.

"Seriously," Musa second, "No matter what you tell us, we'll still be by your side. We promise."

"Word of a Winx," Layla added. I smiled at them as we fell into another group hug.

********************************************************************************

"Word of a Winx…huh?" I asked aloud. Night had fallen and we returned, giving Faragonda the full report. She wasn't upset that I had kept information from her and my friends, but she assured me that no one in the Winx Club or faculty would believe that I would be a part of this "Cian's" plot. A target maybe, but nothing more. I sighed at the thought. _Thank god the girls are asleep now. I don't want them to worry._

The wind brushed against my face, clearing my questionable thoughts out about what to do next. _How the night breeze always calms me down after a long day_, I commented. My feet dangled over the railing as I tilted my head back. _Plus, this railing is definitely bigger than the one at Inter-Realms. That reminds me…_ I looked over the gateway of Alfea.

"I wonder why my dad's letter was in that book?"

"Beats me." I felt a heat wave trace my spin from surprise. "However, I don't know what you're talking about, but (then again) I don't talk to myself." I turned my head to the left and saw Matt on his wind-rider, his arms folded across the steering bars and buttons and giving me an amusing look. "You are by far the strangest fairy I've ever met."

"And you're by far the biggest jerk I've ever met."

"You're calling your savior a jerk?" I pouted when he said, "savior".

"Just because you saved me, which I'm thankful for, doesn't mean that I've forgiven you for your actions after your fight." Matt looked confused at first (I wasn't surprised by his reaction), but then he seemed to have remembered.

"Oh…"

"Yeah." He moved his vehicle in front of me and sighed.

"I'm…sorry…about that, blaming you because I lost that fight. We all know that I lost the fight because of me and me alone."

"Okay. That's one."

"And I'm sorry about bringing your school into our argument. You're right, I didn't know why you transferred, but now I do. I'm also sorry about that…losing your friends and such."

"It's okay…now you need one more."

"What? But I apologized for the things I did plus one." I gave him a sympathetic smile, leaning as close to him as I could before I would lose my balance and fall.

"How about for lying." I saw his face freeze. _This is actually satisfying._ "You said that you've never lost a single battle at Red Fountain. Sky and the others said otherwise." Matt looked away and his face turned bright red. Suddenly, I remembered what Brandon said, "_Matt's lost to many guys, including Sky. He probably said that so as to impress you._"

_Is that true?_ I felt my cheeks grow hot as I looked over at the embarrassed Matt.

"I wasn't that impressed," I finally said. Matt's color suddenly disappeared. "I _was_ impressed when you were practicing and fighting against Helia." I looked at him and gave a smile, "You looked like a real fighter." I saw the color return to his face back to red.

"However, I was not impressed with you sending your dragon to attack me." He began to laugh.

"Well, you looked like you could use better entertainment."

"And why would you think that?" His ice blue eyes fell on mine and he gave me his genuine smile.

"I was watching you. You looked bored." I felt my heart skip a beat as he checked his watch. "Woops, gotta go."

"Oh," I said, feeling a little sad that he was leaving, "Yeah, you should. It's getting late and you've gotta get back to Red Fountain."

"See ya later," he said with a wink. I felt my whole face heat up as he drove away. My hands touched each cheek, feeling how hot they were. I pointed my index finger up and was about to summon a breeze, but something fell on my lap. I looked down and saw a bright, glittery, silver and scarlet colored flower with long petals. In the center was a weird pattern with six other colors: light blue, bright red, bright green, pink, lavender, and orange; these colors were swirled together at the center of the flower. A huge smile grew across my face as I picked it up by its long green stem. I took a sniff, smelling in a sweet aroma that I'd never smelt before.

"Like it?" I looked up and saw Matt looking down from his wind-rider. "Forgot to give it to ya earlier…as an apology thing."

"It's beautiful" I replied, trying not to give too much of my joy away.

"It's from my planet, and special, so don't kill it."

"I'll ask Flora to help with it in the morning."

"Then I'm done here. See you later, Scar!" And then he left for good. I stared after him, my heart beating in my ears and my face on fire.

"You look happy," Luna said, surprisingly not scaring me by her sudden presence.

"Luna, he called me by my nickname."

"So?"

"I think I've got feelings this guy." Luna's expression changed into a total shock.

"WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY?"

"Maybe. But although he's a jerk, whenever I'm totally alone and not thinking about him, he comes. And when he does, he says the right things."

"My dear fairy, you're gonna regret this. What about Jeremy?" I thought about it for a moment before holding the flower against my heart.

"I liked Jeremy, true, and I miss him greatly." I turned to Luna. "But Stella's right. I need to move on. He'll understand, that I know." Luna sighed and sat next to me.

"Well, since you're not gonna tell the Winx about your condition, can you at least tell them about this?" My mind suddenly absorbed Luna's words and I was lost in thought. I heard Luna calling my name, but I didn't want to answer. Instead, I thought about what Bloom said earlier about not keeping secrets from her and the other Winx. Then I thought about my other-self and telling my friends back at Inter-Realms. They weren't scared, so why should the Winx be?

"I've decided!" Luna jumped high from my sudden booming voice and fell back down.

"Decided what?"

"I'm gonna tell the Winx."

"Tell them what, exactly?" Luna pestered, floating towards my face and hoping that I was gonna say what she wanted to hear.

"I'm not gonna keep secrets from them. I didn't from Celia and Lucentia and I shouldn't from the Winx. I _will_ tell them about Matt…but I'm also going to…"

"You're also going to????" Luna said, trying to get it out of me sooner rather than later.

"I'm also going to tell the Winx that I'm half vampire. And that I'm not just a wind fairy, but a vampire wind fairy and that's why I have those books: to learn spells for my other half. That's also why I hate smelling blood. It triggers me to transform and my teeth begin to ache." Luna flew up to my cheek and gave me a kiss.

"And I'll be there with you when you say that." The two of us looked up at the Magix night sky and I took a deep breath.

"Word of a Winx, I'll do it."

[Now back in that dark hallway…]

Fury: (Kneeling on one knee with the opposite hand on the floor, still in her witch outfit) I'm sorry, Master Cian. I had her blood on my fingers, but someone came to her help and she blew it away.

Cian: (sitting in his thrown, examining the scarlet colored blood in a tiny bottle) Rise, Fury. (Fury stands up straight) Although the main mission was a failure, you got something even better: discovering that one girl from Inter-Realms is alive! Which means…(Shows Fury the little bottle of blood)…our little vampire fairy was at Inter-Realms, which proves my previous hypothesis correct. That headmistress, she tried to hide that from me, Cian Carden, the greatest Vampire sorcerer to enter this universe! I must laugh.

Fury: Master Cian, are you saying that Scarlet Avila is the vampire fairy we're looking for?

Cian: That's my hypothesis, but I need her blood to be sure. (He looks at Fury) I'll give you one more chance to do it alone, but if you fail, I'll have to get back-up to help you. I'm pretty sure you can guess who I'm thinking of?

Fury: (Thinks about it before a grin creeps across her face) Either way, it's good for us. Why wait?

Cian: Because you've been such a help with me and my plans. I don't want three more witches to try and intervene with what you and I have worked so hard for.

Fury: (Blushes a little) Whatever will make this easier, Master Cian. If that's your wish, I'll wait. (She disappears)

Cian: Scarlet Avila…What type of creature are you…?


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey readers! Sorry this took so long. I promise i'll try to be better about posting ^_^ Please enjoy the next chapter!_

Chapter 6: Connection

"So you see, girls, when it comes to summoning a weapon or two, it takes a lot of concentration and energy. Eventually though, you'll be able to do it with ease and can create more than one."

"Could Paladiam's class be more boring?" Stella whispered as she rested her head on her desk. I placed a smile on my face and continued to take careful notes. Her eyes wondered over to my desk and I saw them grow wide. "You seem completely devoted to this class too. Is there anything that you find boring?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" I turned to face her and whispered, "Nothing. I hate sitting around and doing nothing. At least in this class we've got a chance to do something than listen to lectures all day."

"Is that what you had at your old school? A lot of lectures, I mean." Flora asked.

"No way. We were up on feet and practicing combat and spells. The usual."

"That sounds intense."

"It was."

"Scarlet?" Paladium called, silencing us and grabbing our attention, "Could you please demonstrate?" I stood up and placed a proud grin on my face.

"No problem, professor." As I walked up to the front of the class, I heard the students whispering about me, surprised by my excitement.

"Alright, now remember: once you've created the sword, you might feel a little tired or weak."

"Don't worry," I assured, "I'm an expert at summoning my magic sword." I stretched my right arm out and poured out the silver liquid that began to form in the center of my hand. It began to stretch into my long and silver sword, showing my class the scarlet gem in the center of the handle. Once complete, I grabbed it and smiled, feeling not the slightest bit of weakness. Everyone's jaw fell at the sight of my precious weapon while the Winx cheered for me. Paladiam scratched his head, confused, but pleased with my work.

"Impressive, Scarlet," he admitted, "Did you do this at your old school?"

"Yeah, pretty early on."

"Oh my. You seem to be ahead of us then."

"This actually is convenient for me, professor," I said, "I've still gotta perfect that plasma-sphere that you taught two years ago so that when we review it, I'll be prepared." The class began to laugh as the bell rang. As we left, I noticed that the winx girls were still laughing.

"Man, seeing Paladiam's face today was so funny!" Musa said when class ended, "I've never seen him so confused."

"Really?" I asked, "Why's that?"

"No one really pays attention in his class, so no one takes it seriously," Bloom answered.

"However, when you came up and announced how you're trying to learn everything he's taught over the past three years, I swear I thought he was going to go and see the nurse to see if there was a prank," Tecna added.

"Anyway," Layla said, grabbing our attention, "We've got time on our hands, what do you wanna do?"

"I was actually thinking about doing some research on this Cian guy," Bloom confessed.

"I'll help," I said, "I'm pretty curious too."

"We'll all help," Flora corrected, "If he's looking for Scarlet then we should know who he is."

"Do you really think that this Cian's actually looking for Scarlet?" Stella asked.

"I'm not sure," she replied, "But her file's still missing, so if we know what we're up against, then we've got a better chance of protecting her."

"That's logical," Tecna added, "And the percentage that we'll find something is pretty high."

"It'll be higher if you had some help from us pixies!" We turned around and saw the pixies floating next to us with determined looks on their faces.

"And with my help," Luna said, "the search can go by faster."

Luna was right in that since she's the pixi of legends and myths, she could help tremendously. Bloom tried asking the main book search (which I'd never seen before. At Inter-Realms we had to find things on our own), but it did nothing. Luna said that it was her presence that caused the search book to be useless. She claims that if she wasn't in the library and we were searching for "Cian", then all of the books would freak out and attack (or something like that). None of us questioned her, but we were worried about our search. Tecna and Digit began to look through the internet to find something while the rest of us did the search on our own.

"Did you tell them yet?" Luna whispered in my ear as she pointed at a book. I pulled it out and shook my head. "Scarlet, you promised that you'd tell them."

"And I will," I assured, "Look, Stella's gonna get bored and everyone's gonna complain about her lack of help. Once that happens, I'll distract them with my news."

"I hope it works." Luna pointed to another book too far for me to reach. I created my wind-board and rose up to it. In the end, I decided to keep using it as I picked up another three, big books before reaching my carrying limit.

"Agh! This is crazy!" Stella shouted as I placed the books down, "Whoever this Cian guy is, he's obviously not like Darkar or Valtor. None of these books have him."

"We've gotta keep looking, Stella," Bloom said, "What if he's like the Trix in that he's a new villain?" Stella began to struggle against Bloom's logic with her desire to not work.

"This is it," Luna whispered, taking a seat on my shoulder. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"H-hey, listen." Everyone looked at me except for Tecna and Digit, who were still trying to find books. "There's something I've gotta tell you…" Surprisingly enough, the two stopped searching and looked up. "Two things, actually. One thing's serious, but the other one's sorta a confession." Stella's energy suddenly returned and she wrapped her arm around my neck, her ear next to my mouth.

"We're all ears, Scarlet. Just tell us the confession first so we can have a little bit fun." I pinched my lips together and felt my face feel hot.

"Scarlet, your face's turning red," Flora pointed out, "Are you alright?" I raised my hands a little and nodded.

"I'm totally fine, Flora. Just…this is a little embarrassing."

"Just say it," Luna insisted.

"Okay…" I faced the Winx girls and smiled, "…I've got a crush…on Matt." Stella's face began to glow along with the others, however she threw her arms in the air and began spinning around in circles.

"I was right! I knew it! I knew you liked him!"

"I knew there was another reason why you were happy this morning," Musa mentioned, feeling proud that she was right.

"When did this happen?" Flora asked.

"It's all quite sudden, actually," I answered, "He came by last night and-"

"He came by?" Stella repeated, "Why didn't you wake us up?"

"I wouldn't wanna wake you up for something like this."

"That's right, Stella," Musa agreed, "The two need to have some time alone." I felt my face become hotter and I looked at the floor.

"This is actually convenient," Tecna added, "It's easier to work together when we all like one another."

"Does he like you back?" Layla asked, resting her chin on both of her hands.

"I don't think so."

"Well he's obviously into you," Stella said, walking around to face me while sitting on the table, "Now tell us everything that happened last night. Don't leave anything out." I told them about how he came by and apologized for all the things he'd done and how when I mentioned that I was impressed with his fighting style, he blushed.

"If he blushed, then he's definitely into you," Stella pointed out.

"Well if you think that's a big deal, wait till you hear this," Luna said, causing Stella to get excited. She had apparently left and gotten the flower that Matt had given me last night (When she had time to get this I'll never know).

"What's that?" Bloom asked.

"It's a Uniquous flower!" Flora answered.

"A Eureka flower?" I repeated.

"No, Uniquous, meaning 'unique flower'. It's a special flower that grows for one person, but will only allow another to pick it."

"Sounds to me like this flower's a little picky," Layla commented.

"Actually, that's the point. It has two proposes: one is to bloom when its special occasion comes and the second is to be picked when its chosen picker has an urge to please someone."

"I'm not following," Musa admitted, "It's a little confusing with growing for one person and allowing another to pick it."

"So you're saying that Matt picked this flower because he had an urge to please me?" I asked.

"That's the only reason that a Uniquous would be picked."

"Do they grow only on one planet?"

"Not really," Tecna piped in, "They grow on every planet and looks different every time. So this flower seemed to have been made for you."

"For me," I repeated, looking at the flower in Luna's hands.

"If you want, I'll help you take care of it," Flora offered.

"That would be great!"

"What was your other news?" Bloom asked, "You said it was serious. Is everything alright?" I took the flower out of Luna's hands as she gave me a confident smile.

"Everything's fine with me, but what I'm about to tell you is-"

"Urgent new from Ms. Faragonda!" I froze still as a pixi flew in and interrupted our conversation, flying on a piece of paper. Her shirt resembled something like an envelopes and near her heels were small wings.

"What's the news, Libi?" Bloom asked.

"I don't remember exactly," she confessed, "but she wrote it down here on this paper." Libi jumped off the paper and it flew into her tiny hands. "'Dear Winx Club, I've just been informed that silent-takers are heading towards Pixi Village and that they need your help. Don't worry about your classes. When a fairy becomes a senior, she gains privileges to miss class to help out the headmistress. Now hurry. Signed, Faragonda'."

"Oh no!" Lockette cried, "Pixi village is under attack again!"

"We've gotta protect it no matter what," Chatta said, her tiny hands clenched into a fist. With quick anticipation, we headed our way towards Pixi Village. I've never seen one before and I was excited to see where Luna had come from, along with the other pixies. Once we arrived, I saw little mushroom houses, a large flower, and many pixies who greeted us with warm smiles and curiosity of our visit.

"We were told that you guys were under attack," Digit explained. The head pixi, a small, older pixi with earth colored robes, gave us a very confused look.

"Under attack? But by what?"

"By silent-takers," Tecna answered, "Deathly vampire-like creatures that will suck away blood and magic."

"I've never heard of such an attack on us. Who informed you?"

"Ms. Faragonda did," Bloom answered, "She said it was urgent that we come here to help."

"Well we're perfectly fine here. Let's contact her and inform her otherwise." With the wave of her staff, the head pixi created a tele-communication mist that contacted Faragonda.

"Is everything alright over there?" she asked as soon as she answered.

"Everything's quite alright, Ms. Faragonda." Faragonda sighed. "However, nothing was wrong here in the first place."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Completely and utterly sure."

"That's strange." Faragonda thought for a moment. "I received and urgent message saying Pixi village was under attack."

"Well it certainly wasn't from me or the pixies here." Faragonda continued to think while my mind wondered off on its own. _If Ms. Faragonda got a false message, then this is all probably a trick or trap…but how can I be sure? I do feel a lot of dark magic floating through the air, but if that's the case, why aren't the other Winx and pixies feeling it too? Maybe my vampire condition's picking it up even though it's weak._

"Excuse me, Ms. Faragonda," I interrupted, "Who sent you the urgent message?"

"It doesn't say. Sometimes people don't leave their names because it's that urgent. What're you thinking, Scarlet?"

"What if this was a trick of some sort?"

"A trick?"

"Yeah, like maybe Fury's involved or the silent-takers are actually close."

"But why would she send Ms. Faragonda a false letter?" Flora asked.

"Because she's still looking for a 'certain someone' for this Cian guy and she believes that she can bring them out here," I answered, "Besides, I feel black magic is being used. Can't you feel it?" The girls focused their energy, but only Bloom and Flora nodded.

"Yes, the trees and plants are indeed sensing black magic," Flora replied.

"So how do we find her?" Musa asked.

"Simple. Using a wind tracking spell should do the trick."

"Then let's transform," Layla suggested, "That way, if she finds us, we can be ready to fight."

"Good idea." I looked at everyone and raised my hands in the air. "Magic Winx!" The wind wrapped around me tightly and it changed my clothes from my white top navy jean skirt to my silver and navy ribbon winx outfit.

"Alright Scarlet," Tecna said, "While you use your wind power, I can locate them on my scanner map of this area."

"Sounds good to me." With that, I closed my eyes and focused on any breeze I could hear, no matter how far. Nothing seemed to be out of place near me, so I focused farther away, closer towards the dark magic I was feeling. As I focused my magic that way, I was able to hear forest creatures breathing little short breaths or long, deep ones, depending on their size. Eventually, I was able to pick up the breathing of a person, and I could sense its dark energy flowing through me.

_Not Good._ I waved my hand, grabbing Tecna's attention and trying not to lose what I picked up. She placed her hand on my head and began to hear what I heard, analyzing it through her techno-powers.

"I've got it," she said after a while. Her palm was facing up as a green light shown along with a map of the area. In it was a red dot that was blinking in an area farther away from the letter "W", which I guessed was us.

"So is it Fury?" Musa asked.

"It's gotta be," I said, "I felt a lot of dark energy through her breathing."

"Well then, how about shining some light in her little dark corner," Stella offered, but before anyone could stop her, a bright orange-yellow glow began to grow in her hand and she threw it in the direction we were facing. The farther it went, the brighter it grew.

"See? This way, we can find her sooner."

"Umm, Stella," Tecna said with worry in her voice, "She's coming this way."

"Right you are little fairy," Said a familiar voice. Before we had a chance to even look up, a sharp pain hit my shoulders and knocked me down on my back. I heard the Winx call my name followed by the crackling from the witch.

"What's wrong, Scarlet?" she asked, "Why aren't you fighting the way you did last time?"

"She's got us this time," Layla answered, "And fighting without looking at your opponent is a cheap way to hit someone."

"Like that matters to me," Fury replied, "All that matters is that I get some blood from little Scarlet here."

"We're not gonna let you!" Bloom shouted, "Girls, create a shield to protect Scarlet."

"I'm afraid that you can't do that," Fury said. As I slowly tried to get back on my feet, my shoulders still hurting from the sudden shock, I saw the Winx be blown away into different areas far away from one another and me.

"Let's see how you fight without your Winx friends helping you." I turned to face Fury and placed both hands over my shoulders.

"Touq!" I shouted. The pain in my shoulder suddenly disappeared and I clenched my hands together, getting ready to create my wind-punches. Quickly, I threw them at her, but she dodged both and launched another black-magic-packed-attack. This was an electric shock that traveled through my whole body, causing me to fall to my knees.

"Is that all you've got?" Fury asked with a laugh, "You can't beat me with your weak wind power. Let's see you perform some dark magic." I looked up at her and saw a green flame wrap around her. "Green Fury!" she shouted as the flame began to break apart and aimed at me. With a deep breath, I held out my hands as if I was going to catch it, and created one of my wind current's starting points. Once the fire had touched it, I quickly sent it flying around, slapping Fry in the back before she could do anything else. My arms then stretched out and I began to spin in circles as fast as I could, creating a tornado, and aimed it at Fury. Thankfully, it hit her, giving me enough time to see what was wrong with the Winx. I ran towards Stella first since she was closer, but as I got closer, a dark force pushed me back to a point where I fell backwards.

"What the hell?"

"Don't worry, they're alive." I looked up and saw Fury floating with her arms crossed over her chest, "They're just facing their biggest fear, locking them inside their minds."

"Good luck with that. They're stronger than they appear."

"Are they?" Fury pointed behind Stella. My eyes followed the direction she was pointing and saw a silent-taker approaching her. With swift fingers, I launched wind arrows, some hitting the eyes sockets, then the others in its mouth, destroying it. I heard Fury clapping with joy.

"Good job, but that's not gonna be enough." Another began to approach Stella and I continued launching, but every time was the same: Another just keeps coming.

"Oh, and don't forget about the other five you're not focusing on." Musa was the next closest to me and a silent taker was only two feet away. I launched more arrows, but nothing changed.

"This is actually getting boring." Fury snapped her fingers and pointed at me. "Silent-takers, drain these girls of their magic and blood, but leave this one to me." I turned around and saw the silent-takers getting closer.

_What can I do? I can't launch more than four arrows at a time. The only other option I have is…_

"Scarlet!" I looked below Fury and saw the Winx pixies flying towards me, Luna in the lead, "We've got your back."

"Leave our fairies to us," Tune suggested, "With our help and your protection, we can make sure that no disgusting monster takes them away."

"You got it!" As the other pixies flew to their fairies, Luna whispered, "Scarlet, there's only one other way to destroy all those Silent-takers without another returning."

"How?"

"Enough talking, fairy!" Fury raised her hands over her head, the back of her wrists touching as dark green glows began to grow.

"I believe I stumbled upon a spell about using dark magic to link one creature to another," Luna suggested.

"Are you crazy?" I hissed, "I can't do that yet, not even in vampire form."

"Well you've gotta try, even if that means summoning those vampire instincts of yours." Fury released her attack and I blocked it with my wind shield, holding it in place and firing it back at her with ten times more force power.

"I can do it without changing into a vampire, but I need a lot of negative energy…Wait, the black-magic-packed-attack."

"The what?"

"She struck me with a lot of dark energy through this jam-packed electric attack. I still have that inside of me."

"Well what're you waiting for?" Fury struck another attack, stronger than the last and destroying my shield.

_It's either now or never. I hope the other pixies had enough time._ I crossed my arms close to my chest, hands open and palms facing me. My wind magic slowly died down and the black-magic-packed-attack began to electrocute me from within. It hurt a lot and I did my best not to wince. I focused summoning all of it to my hands, dealing with the shocks it gave me as it traveled through my body.

"Wh-What're you doing?" I heard Fury shouting.

"What you asked her to do, silly witch," Luna answered cheerfully. Once the last shock of the black-magic-packed-attack was out of my body and in my hands, I began to focus on it, converting the electricity into thin strings that will connect me and the Winx together. Slowly, the static calmed down and turned into silky strings floating with negative energy. Now came the hard part: the actual connecting of the strings with the Winx to me.

_I've only got one shot in trying this. Please dad, be my guide as I do this._ With a quick thought of dad, I faced the Winx, uncrossed my arms, and threw the strings in both hands at the Winx closest to me. At the same time, I pictured the left set of strings going to Flora and the right set to Bloom. Even though it wasn't a perfect circle, I could try to make it one. My dad said that this spell had to be "picture perfect". I can see now why he said that. This spell was all mental and had to be done at a fast pace. Once I felt the strings hit Flora and Bloom, they went to Musa and Stella, then Tecna and Layla, and finally tying the two lose ends together.

_Now for the vocal part of the spell._ "Yennoyhien qoiho feymuf dorun!" The strings began to hum gently as I saw the minds of all six fairies. Flora was trapped in a dead land where there was no life, including for her Helia; Bloom's planet was completely destroyed along with both sets of parents and Sky; Musa was lost in a silent world, chasing after her mother in one direction and switching to Riven at another; Stella began to look like a monster as her mother and father look away in disgust, both fighting and blaming one another for her appearance while Brandon left her; Tecna was in a place where logic didn't make sense and Timmy was acting like a complete idiot; Layla was just in darkness, sobbing and calling out for Nabu, all alone.

I felt everyone's sadness and fear, but I had to try and ignore it as I sent out the awaken part of the spell, which erased everyone's fear from my mind, signaling me that they were no longer lost in their minds. Instead, they all opened their eyes as tears poured out, clearly still shocked by what they've been through.

"You little brat!" Fury screamed at me, "How dare you break my spell!" She tried to launch an attack on me, but for some reason, nothing happened. The worried look that crossed Fury's face gave me an idea.

"Winx Club, bring your magic together and send your happiest memories to Fury! Her magic strength is based on fear and rage, so send her your courageous and happy memories!" Suddenly, the Winx stopped crying and closed their eyes, hands stretched out towards the center. As fast as they disappeared, I'm poured with different memories from each Winx, seeing their lives before I came into the picture.

I saw one of Flora's when she gathered her courage to save the big flower in Pixi village (tree of life, right?) so as to save the pixies. After that, she followed the same courage and confessed to Helia her love for him. _So that's how Flora got her Charmix. Impressive_.

Next came Bloom and one of her memories I saw was her working with Sky to defeat the three ancient witches to save her planet. Soon after, there was the ball where he asked her to marry him, making her the happiest girl alive. _How Romantic! And her planet looks great after many years of ice._

Musa was next and the memory that I saw was sweet. I saw her perform at a concert at Red Fountain with her dad and Riven cheering for her. Then I see her defeating a witch in a red-purple colored dress with a grey line like Fury's, but instead of and "F" was an "S". However, there were many Riven moments, which made me smile. _Musa's voice is so beautiful, and Riven's obviously in love with her._

Stella's was nice too, though I was surprised that it ever happened to her. She was apparently transformed into a monster and Brandon is telling her how he still loves her, which changes her back into her normal self. The scene then changes into when a dragon's about to destroy her father and she saves him. _Stella was so brave, sacrificing herself to gain her Enchantix_.

The memory of Tecna's that I saw was so "odd" for her. First it was normal, seeing her sacrificing herself to close up what I guessed was the O-mega dimension, then it changes to many moments with Timmy. _So she's the one that sacrificed herself for the O-Mega dimension…and that's what she's doing with Timmy! Making out rather than working on gadget stuff!_

Finally, Layla's memory was so nice that it made me teary-eyed: At first I see her surviving a battle with a red and black skeleton dude (looks like Lord Darkar. I've read about him too), but her happiest memory was meeting the Winx and Nabu, and feeling like she belonged.

With all these feelings, I raised my hands (the Winx followed) and sent them straight to Fury and her silent-takers.

"No!" I heard her scream, "This can't be! I How dare you use black magic against me!" But eventually she disappeared and the pixies cheered with joy. I mentally cut the strings, causing them and the negative energy to disappear, and releasing the Winx Club.

"Are you alright?" I asked each of them. They all opened their eyes and looked at one another and then at me.

"What was that?" Bloom asked, resting her hand on her forehead, "I was in a nightmare, but then I felt connected to everyone and thought of happy memories…" She turned to me. "Did you do that?"

"Well, sort of. I just-" My head began to feel light and little colored dots began to appear in front of my eyes. Suddenly, I closed them and fell to the ground with the Winx calling after me.

"…I…believe…that…!"

"So…just did…save us?"

"That's right, and she hadn't practiced it at all yet."

"Well I hope that witch doesn't come near me and my mind again. I hated what I saw."

"Girls, lower your voices. Scarlet's gonna get a headache from your screaming."

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Flora by my head. Apparently she's been holding a cool wet cloth against it, the water slowly trickling down my face. At the foot of my bed was Musa, her legs and arm crossed, looking at the Winx and then at me.

"Hey, she's awake!" Many of them suddenly huddled around me with worried looks in their eyes.

"Come on, give the girl some space," Layla said, "She's definitely waking up a lot sooner than we thought."

"Let me scan her one more time to make sure she's close to one hundred percent better," Tecna suggested. As I saw the ladybug scan me like when I first met them, Flora smiled down at me and took the cloth away.

"How're you feeling, sweetie?"

"I'm fine," I said weakly. _Wow, I must be weaker than I thought._ "What happened?"

"Once you broke that connection spell, you passed out," Flora answered.

"And since it was something your body and magic wasn't to used to," Tecna added, "you completely drained yourself, thus causing you to faint." I slowly tried to sit up, but many hands prevented me from doing so.

"You better stay in bed for a little bit longer," Flora suggested.

"But we've gotta tell Ms. Faragonda what happened."

"We did," Bloom told me, "We told her everything and Luna filled all of us in on how you used dark magic to save us from Fury's spell."

"Luna?" I turned my head and saw Luna sitting on her legs, her little hands gripping onto the edge of her red skirt. She looked at me with tears in her black eyes. "What's wrong?" Her face suddenly became mad and she flew onto my upper chest.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again! I was so worried!"

"You were the one who told me to use the spell," I reminded.

"But I didn't tell you to use every ounce of energy in your body!" I raised my hand and patted her head.

"Thank you for worrying about me. I'm alright now."

"We were all worried about you," Stella corrected, "You saved us from our fears and connected with us. We all saw everything and felt everything."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Musa answered, "At first, I was alone, but then I saw everyone's fears and you focusing. And then you told us to think happy things and we all saw and felt each other's thoughts."

"So you saw a bit of our past," Bloom pointed out. I slowly lifted myself up and stared at my friends.

"Yeah," I finally said, "I saw things from your past."

"And don't forget about the connection," Layla said. Suddenly, I realized what everyone was implying.

"I guess I felt that bond that you were mentioning."

"It's sorta like that," Musa admitted, "But it's not created through dark magic."

"By the way," I said, "A common fear was losing your boyfriends somehow…why's that?"

"That's because it's possible for them to leave us for another," Musa answered.

"However," Flora added, "We know that we're never going break-up as a Winx Club because we love each other greatly and nothing can break us apart."

"Alright girls, this calls for a group hug!" Stella shouted, wrapping her arms around me. Everyone followed her actions, including the pixies.

"Are you girls suffocating my patient?" We all stopped hugging and looked at the school nurse, her hair tightly in a bun and wearing similar glasses as Griselda.

"Sorry, Ms. Ofelia," We said.

"As long as my patient is well again."

"I am," I replied.

"Good. The headmistress is here and would like a word with you seven." With that as an opening, Ms. Faragonda entered the room, pleased to see me.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," she said, "These girls refused to leave your side." I smiled back at her as she continued. "However, I feel that this situation is going to grow more dangerous as time passes, so I've asked for some back-up by our other schools."

"What's do you mean?" Bloom asked. Faragonda looked at the door and in entered and old man with long white hair and a staff taller than himself that had a creature's head at the top with a purple ball in its mouth. Soon after him came a tall woman with green skin and dark circles around her eyes. Her hair was wrapped up to a point and wore a long, floor length dress. Faragonda extended her hand towards the man first.

"Scarlet, this is Saladin, headmaster of Red Fountain." He bowed and approached me.

"Faragonda has told me that you and your friends are having trouble with mysterious creatures and a witch with a temper."

"Yes sir, we are."

"Then I would like to offer my assistance to you. I knew your late headmistress very well, along with your other professors, and would like to help in any way I can."

"Giving us _our_ specialist would be perfect," Stella whispered to us.

"That is why," Saladin continued, though I think he heard, "I will send with you my best specialist team at Red Fountain, which contains Prince Sky, Brandon, Riven, Timmy, Helia, and Matthew. We've also asked a young wizard to join them by the name of Nabu. I believe that he's got a young lady here to protect, as well." We all quickly looked at Layla who blushed and smiled.

"Then it's settled," Faragonda said, "the specialists are on stand-by for the future attacks." She then turned to the other lady and the room. "And this is the Head-Witchress of Cloud Tower, Ms. Griffin." She too stepped forward and smiled at me…or at least, I think it was a smile…she seemed to have a permanent angry look in her eyes…

"I've heard many great things about you, Scarlet," She began, "You're in good hands with the Winx girls as your closet friends." The Winx Club looked at me and smiled. "Anyway, I've heard from Ms. Faragonda that you're learning black magic."

"Yes I am."

"And I'm guessing that since you're unable to reach your father that you've been teaching yourself?"

"Again, yes. There're certain things that I can teach myself."

"Yes apparently. But whether you can control them is another thing."

"That's true."

"Then I propose that every night of the new moon, you come to Cloud Tower and I can properly teach you the art of dark magic. I think that learning a new spell every moon cycle is refreshing, especially if it's a dark spell on the darkest night of the moon cycle."

"That would be great," Luna and I said together.

"Good."

"Wait, Ms. Griffin," Bloom said, "Is it really necessary that Scarlet goes alone?"

"That's right," Musa added, "She's a Winx and Winx always do things together."

"Unfortunately, girls, this isn't negotiable," Griffin said, "Unless of course, Scarlet says otherwise." The girls looked at me, urging me for me to say yes.

_What should I say?_

"_Word of a Winx, I'll do it!"_

_That's right…I was going to tell them…_ I looked up at Ms. Griffin.

"I need my friends there," I replied, "Besides, they could use the extra spells." I noticed the three teachers exchange pleased glances and nodded.

"Very well," Ms. Griffin said. Soon the teachers left and Faragonda asked the Winx to head back to the room while she talked to me alone for a moment. The girls began to argue against it, but once I suggested a pajama party for me feeling the "Winx connection", the girls and their pixies quickly sprinted to the room to get things ready.

"I'm surprised that you told Griffin that you wanted them to come," Faragonda said.

"Me too."

"She's gonna tell them about her vampire-self," Luna added.

"I'm glad to hear that. You should tell them."

"Well, I'm gonna tell them tonight, so that when the night of the new moon comes, we'll all be ready."

"And I can't wait to learn some dark spells," Luna said.

"You can't go. The negative energy in that place will suck you dry," I protested.

"Actually Luna's one of the few fairies that can go near negative energy places, such as Cloud Tower."

"Well then by all means, come." Luna smiled and sat on my shoulder.

"Anyway," Faragonda said, "The girls will accept you no matter what, so go tell them and have fun tonight. You deserve it." I thanked her and left the nurse's office, feeling confident about telling the Winx my secret. My heartbeat began to bang nervously against my chest as I got closer to my room.

"It's gonna be alright," Luna whispered. Once I approached the door I heard the Winx talking, and they sounded worried.

"Why's this witch after Scarlet?" Musa shouted, "She's never done anything wrong."

"We don't know, Musa," Bloom answered, "All we know is that she's a target for this Cian guy and Fury's job is to do his dirty work."

"But why is she after blood?" Flora asked.

"Again, not sure. For all we know, he could be a vampire himself."

"That's a logical hypothesis, especially since the most recent creatures are vampire-like and Fury has a desire for Scarlet's blood."

"But then we're back to Musa's question," Layla pointed out, "Why Scarlet?"

"Oh come on girls," Stella said, obviously annoyed, "Do we have to talk about vampire stuff? That just gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, this is actually freaking me out," Tecna admitted, "Evil sorcerers and creatures I can handle, but blood-sucking demons? That's just gross."

"I can understand how you feel," Flora said, "And they're never good. They only want to cause trouble."

"And they're master manipulators," Musa added, "They've got magic and spells that are so unique and unheard of that no one could beat them."

"Well if we hear of any vampire, we'll show them no mercy."

"That's right, Layla," Bloom second, "If we hear of any vampire, we know that they're a threat and that they must be stopped." There was a pause before I heard Stella groan again.

"Where's Scarlet? I wanna get this party started!" I turned to Luna who looked as surprised as I was.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell them," I whispered, "I'm sure I can tell Ms. Faragonda an excuse to keep the girls here."

"At this point…it's your call."

"Then I better put a smile on and go in."

But I didn't move. I just stood there, staring at the door, feeling more like an outsider than I'd ever had before.

[But in that dark place somewhere…]

(Fury enters the same room, out of her witch outfit and into her regular clothes. She doesn't realize that Cian's in the room)

Cian: Upset, Fury?

Fury: (Jumps from the sudden noise) Master Cian. (Bows and rises) I'm sorry. I failed again. Scarlet is stronger than she looks, she even knows dark magic.

Cian: That's new. A fairy with dark powers…interesting. (Steps forward and runs his fingers though his black hair) Well then it's a good thing I brought in your back-up team.

Fury: Master?

Cian: (places his arm around her shoulders) I promised you back-up, aid from three witches like yourself. (Her eyes widen as she looks up at him) Watch. (Extends his hand) Come, witches! (Suddenly, three witches appear, one with a light blue skirt, belly shirt, pointy light blue boots, and all of this matched her long hair and eyes. The second was all purple with a spiral bandana-like top, flared pants and pointy boots as well. She wore little glasses and had long brown hair the same color as her eyes. The last one wore a red-purple halter top that crossed over her upper-chest. That too was a belly shirt that matched her skirt and opened toed shoes.) Fury, Meet the Trix.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Truth be Told

Levitating above school grounds was a good way to clear my mind, especially with the Magix wind spirits constantly blowing air in my face. However, no matter how hard I tried, I still remembered the discussion we had at our pajama party. The girls decided that it's best to assume the worst in that Cian's a vampire and that anything that has any trace of vampire traits or blood could not be trusted…of course, I threw myself into that category.

_Even so, I should tell them. I promised myself I would…but what if they put the pieces together and don't trust me anymore. What if they believe that I should go with Cian because I'm a threat? A danger to them and the school too. What if-_

"Scarlet!" The wind suddenly disappeared and I began to fall. With quick thinking, I spun forward and landed on my feet gently. _Thank goodness for practicing tricks at the floating castle in Aquila_.

"What were you doing up there?" Layla asked, impressed by my levitation.

"I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Stella asked with a sly smile on her lips, "A certain specialist named Matt by any chance?" I forced a laugh and shook my head.

"Just about Aquila and missing people. Nothing new there."

"I'm sorry," Bloom said, "You know that you can talk to us about those feelings if you want to. You can even use our shoulders to cry on."

"Thanks, Bloom. I'll keep that in mind."

"Anyway, we were gonna practice our convergence powers to see if we can create anything new," Musa mentioned, "We came here to get you."

"Oh, Thanks, but I'm not really in the mood to do convergence today."

"Well I wouldn't be either if I was being sent to Cloud Tower to practice black magic," Stella said in a mocking tone, obviously annoyed by the fact that she has to go.

"You guys really don't have to go," I reminded, "This is required for me, not you."

"But we're coming either way," Tecna replied, "We need to perfect our fairy stages and learning new spells will help."

"Plus, learning these dark spells might be the key to defeating those silent-takers faster," Bloom added.

"That's right. And research has shown me that sometimes using black magic with black magic will weaken the dark creatures. This also works on Vampires too."

"That's our Tec," Stella commented, wrapping her arm around her neck, "Knowing the best way to tackle the enemy."

"At this point, though, all vampire-like creatures are our enemies," Musa pointed out, "They might be working for Cian."

"I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case," Layla agreed.

"Scarlet, are you alright?" Flora asked, "You seem really quiet."

"I'm fine," I lied, "I'm just gonna walk around for a bit. I'll see you later." The Winx, thankfully, let me go, but I definitely heard a lot of disagreement with letting me go without asking questions. It's sad that I couldn't tell them my secret. I was excited to do so and was wondering what their reactions would be. But now that I know how they feel about vampires and it's probably best if I didn't tell them.

My feet had carried me to Faragonda's office, and before I could even knock, she opened the door.

"I saw you coming," she said with a kind smile, "So I thought I'd meet you at the door and let you in."

"Thank you." I took a seat across her desk as she sat in her big chair.

"I'm guessing that you're still upset about what you've been hearing from your friends." I nodded. "You know they're saying this not knowing that a vampire's among them, right?"

"I guess, but still. It's like, I know if I tell them, they'll be cool with it. But then there's the future to worry about. What if they only say that because it's the polite thing to do? What if they see that I'm not a helper, but a trouble-maker? What if they believe that I should do this alone without their help?"

"My, these are a lot of questions," Faragonda pointed out, "But why are you worried about something that hasn't even happened yet?"

"Because I'm a warrior and has a warrior for a mother," I answered. This made Faragonda laugh a little.

"That's right. Warriors must plan things ahead and expect the worst. I guess that's how you were raised."

"Yes it was."

"Well then I guess I can't convince you, but I will not give up in trying." I shrugged my shoulders and looked at her golden-framed mirror. Minutes had past until Faragonda spoke again, "So what're your plans now?"

"I dunno." I thought about going to Magix (the city), but it's never fun without friends. Normally, if I was bored, I'd review things like spells and combat skills.

_Combat skills. I haven't done that in a while…_ Just then, an idea popped into my head.

"Ms. Faragonda, is it alright to go to Red Fountain?" Faragonda seemed a little surprised by my sudden idea.

"Any particular reason?"

"I haven't practice my combat skills in a while and I would like to improve them if I can. Red Fountain has some combat programs and maybe I could ask Saladin if he could lend me a few." Faragonda still seemed surprised, but she sighed.

"Alright. You have permission to go. I'll let Saladin know you're coming and to prepare something for you."

"Thank you, Ms. Faragonda." I rose out of my seat and was about to leave when she spoke again.

"Scarlet." I looked back at my headmistress. "I know you're hurt by what they're saying, but I believe that the Winx will understand you if you told them that you yourself are a vampire. I don't believe that it would change the way they feel about you."

"Thanks, but I won't put their trust in me in jeopardy." With that, I closed the door to her office and headed towards the main campus. Luckily, I didn't see any Winx girl, so with quick thinking, I created my wind current.

"To Red Fountain," I said once I was comfortably floating in the air. The current didn't hesitate and began to push me towards my destination. It wasn't a long trip and when I arrived, Saladin was waiting at the entrance with a warm smile on his face.

"So good to see that you're well, Scarlet. Now I heard that you wanted some combat training, is that correct?"

"Yes sir. I want to try and brush up on my skills from Inter-Realms."

"Well then let's get started. I've got a few things set up for you, so let's see how far you get."

[Later that day, back at Alfea]

(This Winx Club heads towards Faragonda's door, knocks, and enters)

Faragonda: Hello girls. What can I do for you?

Bloom: We're looking for Scarlet, but we can't find her anywhere. Do you know where she is?

Faragonda: Yes I do. She's at Red Fountain practicing her combat skills that she learned at her old school. She believed that it'll help her in future battles against our enemy.

Musa: But why'd she leave us behind? Learning some combat skills could make all of us stronger too so we could help protect her against Fury and the silent-takers.

Stella: Great, first there's black magic involved and now working out? No thank you. I'm a fairy and will only use fairy magic to fight.

Layla: Seriously, Stella, can't you be open-minded about learning something new?

Stella: Nope. Besides, fighting's for the specialists. It's like asking them to learn how to be a fairy and to transform too.

(All pauses as they think of their guys in their first fairy form…which is pretty funny, but also not a pretty sight. The girls laugh together)

Bloom: What do you say, girls? Shall we head on over to Red Fountain and learn a thing or two about fighting with only physical strength?

Tecna: As tempting as it sounds, if Scarlet didn't tell us, then she probably doesn't want us there. Besides, she'd be practicing stuff she already knows. We'd be falling behind if we did whatever it is she's doing.

Musa: But we should go anyway, even if it's just to support her.

Stella: Yeah, and find some hot specialists while we're there.

Layla: Is that all you think about?

Flora: Ms. Faragonda, may I ask you something?

Faragonda: Why yes Flora. What is it?

Flora: (Turns to the Winx) I'm sure that you've noticed this too, (faces Faragonda again) but is there something that's bothering Scarlet?

Bloom: Yeah, I've noticed that too. She just seems…not like herself.

Faragonda: (Thinks for a moment and sighs. She rises up and faces the window outside) I believe that there's a great deal bothering her.

Layla: Do you know what it might be so that we can help her?

Faragonda: Unfortunately, I don't. But I have a feeling that she's carrying heavy news on her own.

Musa: But why would she not tell us? I mean, we've been telling her that there's nothing she can say that will change how we feel about her, right?

Layla: Right. She saw that we didn't think twice about her when we discovered her dark magic books, so what changed her mind?

Faragonda: I think the best way to have these questions solved is by finding her and asking yourself.

Tecna: But will she tell us? Or will she continue to act so illogical around us?

Flora: I'm sure that if we approach asking her with an open-mind, an open-heart, and kindness rather than pressuring her with questions, then I'm sure she'll tell us.

Faragonda: I agree. (Faces the Winx) Girls, I know that you care deeply for Scarlet and I'm sure that she feels the same way about all you. However, keep in mind that we're just guessing. There might not be anything wrong and she's just sad. But I'm sure if you assure her your friendship, then she'll act like normal self again.

Bloom: Then let's head on over to Red Fountain.

[Back to Scarlet…]

"You've done a lot better than I thought you would, Scarlet. Now let's see you fighting against three of our specialists: Prince Sky, Brandon, and Riven." I saw the three boys entering with welcoming smiles (except from Riven, of course).

"Are you serious?" Riven said in disgust, "We're gonna tear her to shreds if we go full on out."

"But Saladin and Codatorta wouldn't have told us to fight her if she wasn't strong," Sky pointed out, "Besides, she spent many years at Inter-Realms, which is a really good school for fighters."

"That's right," Brandon second, "And it's not your everyday fighters, but warriors. So technically, the harder we fight, it'll tell her that we respect her and that we want to help her with training."

"Fine, but I don't wanna hear from that we were too hard on her."

"Now listen here!" Codatorta shouted, "This is also training for you: Fighting against a magical creature. She's going to use her physical strength, weapons, and magic, so be prepared." I saw each guy pulling put their swords, their blades appearing in different colors and styles, and ready to fight. "Also, this fight isn't about winning and losing, but skill. Within one battle a specialist and a warrior can learn a lot from one another. So prepare yourself for a long, hard, battle. Saladin and I will end the fight at any point. There is no time limit."

"Scarlet," Saladin called, "You transforming will signal that you're ready. Boys, once she's fully transformed, you may attack. Just a reminder, you're all being graded on this, so whenever you're ready…" I looked up at the professors and then back at the three specialists.

_Three against one? Talk about unfair…_

"Just so we're clear," Riven shouted, "Were not going easy on you."

…_but who said life was fair?_

"Scarlet Magic Winx!" The wind wrapped around me, placing on my battle suit of navy and silver. Once I was complete, I was hovering two inches from the ground and completely still. The boys, thank god, all launched a charged attack, weapons aimed at me. With my right hand, I swept the air around me, causing me to vanish in the breeze and to reappear behind them. The boys didn't realize that I was there until I created my binding wind ribbons (See Chapter 4) to take their swords away. I tied them high in the air, way out of their reach.

"Well, that sucks," Brandon comments, "However, those aren't our only weapons." He pulled out his double-sided sword, Sky pulled out his shield and boomerang, and Riven pulled out a rope with a raspberry colored ball at the end of it and dagger-length weapons with two small blades that emerge into one as the get closer to the handle. At the end of them were little hooks that looked sharp, hence my title for "catch-hooks" (goofy title, I know, but they're really useful for blocking swords).

"Glad to see that," I replied, "But FYI: I've got one too." I extended my right hand and summoned my silver sword. The boys watched in awe as the silver liquid formed a sword, showing off my scarlet gem. They all stood still, unaware that technically, I could attack…which I did. With incredible speed, I ran towards them, ready to slice through their torsos. Sky and Brandon dodged, but Riven's "catch-hooks" caught my sword.

_Totally called it._ I placed my weight on the sword, brought up my legs, and kicked him right in the chest. He went flying as I flew into the air. Sky launched his boomerang, catching me off balance, but I created a wind current that brought me straight behind him, sword ready to slice. However, his shield blocked me and Brandon's double sword knocked me off my feet while Riven threw his rope around them.

_Trying to tie me down?_ I stabbed my sword into the ground and with all my strength, I rolled my body with speed off the ground, throwing Riven again and setting me feet free. I straighten myself out and aimed my sword at Brandon.

"Come boys, give me everything you've got."

[Let's head on over to Cian's place…]

Cian: So do you understand your purpose, witches?

Trix: Yes, master Cian.

Cian: Excellent. Now, onto my plan. The night of the new moon's tonight and if Scarlet Avila is the vampire fairy, then she'll transform into a vampire: blood-thirsty and ready to fight without mercy. Vampires are mostly known as deadly creatures, so be on your guard.

Fury: So the only thing we have to do is see if she changes?

Cian: Exactly. If she's nothing, then our search will have to be elsewhere.

Icy: Master, you said that you're holding a whole planet hostage. Why can't you use them for something?

Cian: Aquila, coincidentally the home planet of Scarlet Avila, but also the home planet of a fellow vampire. He knows as much as I do and can tell me under persuasion who the vampire fairy is.

Darcy: And that's if this Scarlet's not it, right?

Cian: You're getting the hang of things.

Stormy: But what about the other annoying fairies? We've been after them for years!

Cian: If they have no connection to the vampire fairy, then their no concern of ours. Now go! (All four witches bow and vanish)

[And to Scarlet…]

I shook hands with each specialists, complimenting them on their skills.

"If you didn't use magic, we would have beaten you easy," Riven commented.

"Riven, it wasn't a win/lose battle," Sky said in my defense, "And this is mostly for her, not for us."

"Riven's actually right," I replied, throwing everyone off guard, "I was trained with my powers, rarely without. So yes, if I wasn't allowed to use magic, I wouldn't have lasted as long as I did." Riven gave Brandon and Sky a proud smirk.

"Anyway, I'm gonna take a break. Thanks again." I said good-bye, transformed back into my normal clothes, and headed outside. There weren't many specialists outside and the crisp wind blew the sweat off my face. I headed towards the east waterfall, sat on the ledge, and swung my feet over, allowing them to dangle in the breeze.

_This was a good idea. The Winx Club hasn't come, my skills are still good, and I won against the three guys…well, win as in I didn't die in that "three-against-one" battle._

I sat there for a while, thinking of my previous battle when I noticed the shadow of the auditorium was getting closer to me.

_It's getting closer. The shadow and the time until I transform. I really don't want the Winx to find me like a vampire if they feel that their manipulative or dangerous…or both!_

"Scarlet?" I looked behind me and saw Helia. He was in his regular clothes of a sand colored loose shirt and khaki-colored pants. Under his arm was a sketch pad along with a few paint brushes and paint bottles. "What're you doing here?"

"I was practicing combat training." He approached me and placed his stuff on the grass.

"That's right," he said, leaning against the block railing next to me, "You're old school was full of great warriors."

"You bet that they were. They were gonna be great warriors one day."

"I agree." There was a pause before he spoke again, "Flora wrote to me and mentioned that you're heading off to Cloud Tower for special training."

"Did she also mention that I've been learning dark magic since I could remember?"

"She did."

"That's good. And you don't mind her learning those spells?" Helia shook his head.

"It's her decision. I'll support her in anything as long as it doesn't hurt her."

"That's so sweet." There was another pause.

"Flora also mentioned that she's worried about you." I looked at him with a confused expression on my face.

"Why?"

"She said that you've been acting sadder than your normal, cheerful self."

"Oh." I looked away from him and looked at my navy boots.

"Does it involve Matt?" I felt me cheeks grow hot as I turned to Helia, who began to laugh. "Sorry, I swear, she didn't tell me. I actually mentioned it to her."

"When?"

"After that battle we had against the witch here. I noticed the way he acts around you and he acts like a typical boy." I pinched my lips together. "But that's just how he is. He's not as bad as his cousin."

_Cousin?_

"Who's his cousin?" Helia looked at me and shook his head.

"That's a specialists' secret."

"And Flora knows?" Helia just smiled at me. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Flora and I don't keep things from each other, but I see our romance different from the others."

"I do too, but is it necessary to tell her things like Matt's mysterious cousin?"

"I only tell her things that affects either her or her friends around her."

"And when you have nothing really to report?"

"Then I write her poems. I've been teaching her too. She really seems to enjoy it and is very good." I smiled at him and sighed. The wind blew behind me as I thought about Flora and her worrying about me.

"One of the greatest poets I love is a mysterious one that not many people know about."

"Really? Who?"

"She's beautiful with words and understands the true beauty in things. Her name's Countess Clarissa. Heard of her?"

"Countess Clarissa…" I mentally looked through my library of facts that I've read throughout my lifetime. "…wasn't she originally called 'Clarissa de Belle'?"

"That's her."

"But wasn't she a…" I felt the word stuck in my throat, fighting to get out while my muscle refused it to leave.

"A vampire?" I nodded, "Yes she was. She married another vampire, I believe. He was a…a spy for the Vampire government?"

"That's right, but that was when the Vampire civilization was still peaceful with the rest of the magical worlds and dimensions," I stated.

"You certainly know a lot about her." I felt my face grow colder (color leaving my face I guess).

"As the next advisor to the Princess Kayla, I must know anything about everything about any creature, including vampires."

"I believe that vampires are like wizards, fairies, witches, and any other magical being."

"Really…" _Okay, where's he taking this?_

"Yes. They're powerful like all the other creatures, yet kind and gentle. Of course every type of creature has a dark side and vampires have their fair share. But still…they're fascinating creatures. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I guess…?"

"That's why I love her writing."

"Have you shared that with Flora?"

"I have. She also knows that she's a vampire, which is one of the many reasons why Flora likes her so much."

"But Flora's been telling me that vampires are ruthless creatures and are only here to cause trouble."

"Is that true?"

"Not for all vampires, no."

"Is it true for you?"

I felt my heart stop beating…or at least, beating so quietly that it felt lifeless.

"Wh-what?"

"Are you a 'ruthless creature' and 'here to cause trouble'?"

"Helia, why're you asking me? I'm not a vampire."

"Really?"

"Of course. I'm a fairy. It's almost impossible for fairy to be a vampire."

"Almost?"

_Oh man! Now I'm screwed!_

"What're saying, Helia? I'm not a vampire, okay?"

"Just answer me this then: At your old school, you're taught to fight through blood-battles?"

"Yes."

"And you are also taught to withstand the heavy stench of blood so as not to get sick during battle, right?"

"Exactly."

"So why can't you stand the smell?"

_Oh he's good._ Helia sat on my ledge and looked at his school, still talking.

"When vampires smell blood, they transform. And when you faced blood here a while ago, you made sure that your nose was as far away from your wound as possible. A warrior who wasn't a vampire wouldn't have done that, but actually examine the wound to figure out how to heal it."

"How do you know all this? You weren't even there?"

"I'm an artist. I observe things closer than a normal person." I opened my mouth and tried to say something, but nothing came out.

"So you're a vampire?" Helia asked. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'm a vampire, but only half."

"Do you see yourself as a monster?"

"No, but I fear that others do…and that people here will…" Helia placed a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look into his black eyes.

"Who's the full vampire in your family?"

"My dad…Damian Avila."

"He must be a good man."

"How do you know that? Why don't you think he's a monster?"

"Because if he was, you wouldn't be as kind and cheerful as you are." Helia signaled me to turn around, which I did, and he continued, "Flora mentioned to me that your mother's a great warrior and that you're father a wise advisor. She mentions how much you miss, love, and respect them, hoping that you can be what they want you to be."

"And she's right." There was a pause.

"It's none of my business, I know, but I must ask: Why won't you tell the girls?"

"They believe all vampires to be monsters. I don't want them to think that about me, especially since they've been nothing but kind to me." I felt tears creep into my eyes.

"Unfortunately, I can't speak for the other girls, but I know that Flora wouldn't think that of you. If she loves Countess Clarissa for her words, wouldn't she still love you for you?" I didn't answer. Instead, I just wiped the tears away and smiled at Helia.

"Thanks."

"No problem…but there's something I've got to warn you about."

"What?"

"Of course, I won't tell anyone about this…but I can't keep it from Flora."

"I guess I understand that…from your point of view anyway."

"I can promise you that I won't say 'you're a vampire' to her until tomorrow morning. If she doesn't know, then I'll tell her."

"But it's not your story to tell!"

"But it concerns my girlfriend, who I love more than life itself."

"But it's not your story to tell!"

"Scarlet, I don't want to tell her, but Flora's worried about you, which makes me worry. And my guess is that if she's worried, so are the other girls. And if this is what's causing them to worry, then someone should ease their pain."

"Helia!" I whined.

"Scarlet, listen." He got off the ledge and walked towards me, placing both hands on my shoulder, making sure that I was looking at him. "If I was any of the other guys on my team and I heard that you're acting weird because you're scared of telling them you're a vampire, I'd do it for you. I'd end everyone's worries and tell them. But I'm not going to do that, but I will if you don't do it first. And it won't be everyone. I'd just tell Flora and tell her to talk to you privately and convince you to tell the others…" I sighed. "…but if you tell them first, then they feel like you trust them, and they will still love you as much as Flora does."

"How're you so sure?"

"I'm an observer." He finally let me go and began to walk away. "Remember," he shouted back, "Either you tell the girls, or I tell Flora. You're call." And with that, he left.

[and during this whole sequence…with the Winx Club minus one…]

(Sky, Brandon, Riven, Matt, Timmy, and Nabu meet the girls at the entrance. Each boy greets their girl with a hug and/or kiss)

Layla: Nabu! When did you get here?

Nabu: This morning. When Saladin called and asked me to help you guys, I couldn't say no.

Stella: Oh Brandon! How I've missed you!

Brandon: I haven't seen you a while and you miss me that much?

Stella: Don't get any ideas.

Timmy: Thanks for the new chip, Tecna. My computer is working much better.

Tecna: No problem Timmy, but in exchange for that chip, you've gotta take me to dinner. Deal?

Timmy: (Laughs) Deal.

Musa: Hey, Riven. You look like you worked out a lot today.

Riven: Trust me, I did. And when I wasn't, I was listening to your new song.

Musa: Seriously?

Riven: Yeah. It helped me with my fighting. You know…thinking of…

Musa: Protecting me? Fighting for me? (hugs Riven) Oh Riven, you're the greatest!

Sky: Well, this is a treat.

Bloom: Yes it is.

Sky: And do what do I owe this visit from the future queen of Domino and Eraklyon?

Bloom: You can owe me by telling us if you've seen Scarlet around here.

Riven: Oh we saw her alright. We even fought her.

Musa: Fought!

Brandon: By "fought" he means that she came here for training and Saladin asked for our help.

Stella: You fought her too?

Brandon: Don't worry, she's alright.

Sky: Better than alright. She's an amazing fighter and she never gave up.

Riven: But when I said that she's only strong because of her magic, she agreed with me.

Flora: Which way did you see her go? We're so worried about her.

Sky: I'm not sure. But if we all work together and scan out the place, I'm sure we'll find her.

(So they spit up and start looking while Flora decides to go on her own and call Helia to help her. He agrees and meets up with her)

Flora: (Hugs him) Helia! I'm so glad you met me so fast.

Helia: Nothing could keep me away from you, you know that.

Flora: Oh Helia, it's gotten worse. Scarlet's left Alfea for the day to come train here. Have you seen her?

Helia: Actually I have. She was sitting by the east wing. If we hurry, we can catch up with her. (He grabs Flora's hand and takes her to where he last saw Scarlet. Unfortunately, she's gone) Damn it, she's gone.

Flora: It's okay, Helia. You tried.

Helia: I know, but Scarlet's…she's…

Flora: I know, she not her usual self.

Helia: Flora?

Flora: Yes?

Helia: Remember Countess Clarissa?

Flora: (Smiles) Of course I do! I love her poems. They're so pure and rich.

Helia: And even though she's a vampire, you love her, right?

Flora: Of course. I know not all vampires are bad. It's just right now, the fact that our enemy might be one scares me.

Helia: (Holds her) I know.

Flora: Were you able to talk to her?

Helia: Yes. And I think something's on her mind. Something big.

Flora: Ms. Faragonda said that too. But why would Scarlet not tell us? Do you know?

Helia: (pauses) If she doesn't tell you, then I will. I told her that.

Flora: You know?

Helia: Please don't be mad. I want to give her a chance to 'tell her story', as she puts it, but if she doesn't tell you by tomorrow morning, then I will. I'm sorry to do this to you.

Flora: No, it's alright. I understand.

Helia: And she didn't tell me. I figured it out.

Flora: Was she mad?

Helia: She's mad that I'm going to tell you soon.

Flora: Then I'll assure her that she can tell me. Maybe if she tells one Winx, the two can explain it to the others.

Bloom: Flora! Helia!

Flora: Bloom. (Everyone's gathered together) Did you find her?

Bloom: No we didn't. Anything on your end.

Flora: No, but Scarlet _is_ keeping something from us.

Musa: No way! But we assured her that she could tell us anything!

Flora: Please, Don't get mad. Only Helia knows what she's hiding and he figured it out. It's 'something big'.

Tecna: 'Something big'? 'Heavy news'? Didn't Scarlet mention about telling us something serious?

Stella: You're right! She was going to tell us after she admitted that she liked Matt.

Specialists (except Helia): What?

Riven: (clenches his fists together) Scarlet's got a crush on Matt?

Musa: Riven, seriously, why're you pissed off?

Riven: (unclenches and wraps his arm around Musa's waist and the other hand in his pocket) It's nothing.

Layla: Nice going Stella. Way to keep a secret.

Stella: (Covering her mouth) Oops. Sorry.

Bloom: Look, we've got bigger things to worry about. Tecna's right in that Scarlet was going to tell us something that time we were in the library. The only question is: What was it?

Riven: Well apparently, Helia knows, so why doesn't he tell us?

Flora: Because he's giving her a chance to tell us herself.

Stella: Man, this girl's causing all sorts of problems. Why can't she just tell us these things? We do!

Tecna: True, but technically, she's still new here. Plus, the lost of her late best friends is probably still in shock for her. Whatever this secret is, they knew.

Bloom: Is it possible that everyone at that school knew?

Tecna: That's a negative. It would only be the faculty, her closest friends, and her family.

Musa: How do you know that?

Tecna: Think about it. If you had something big to say, you wouldn't tell your whole school.

Musa: True. I'd only tell you guys, Dad, and Faragonda.

Layla: So here's the question then: If Cian still has Scarlet's file, is it possible that her big secret is in there and it's something Cian wants?

Tecna: That's logical.

Bloom: That's more than logical, it makes the most sense. This secret must be the reason that Fury's been coming after her.

Musa: I know I keep asking this, but why is she keeping this from us? (Turns to Helia) What makes this secret so bad that she couldn't tell us?

Helia: I can't say. It's not my place.

Musa: Come on! You know and we're her friends! We should know before anyone else!

Layla: Musa, calm down. We're all wondering the same thing. But if there's one thing I'm sure of is that Scarlet's got a good reason. Maybe this secret's really bad and puts us in danger?

Stella: That's possible, but we're the Winx Club. We've faced worse things than a witch and a couple of creatures. Plus, we're allowed back-up.

Brandon: Excuse me? Back-up?

Stella: (Winks) Winx gets priority, my dear. It's one of the top rules here.

Sky: Well, then I suggest we keep looking for her. Maybe she's still here?

Bloom: Good idea. Then I think we should check Cloud Tower next. If there's one thing we know it's that she'll be there when the sun sets.

Flora: Let's try to find her before then.

Musa: Yeah, and get this secret out once and for all.

[So where'd Scarlet go?… ]

I levitated in the center of the auditorium, randomly doing flips and stuff. I discovered that by doing these kinds of things calm me down. My blood was still boiling from my conversation with Helia. I wasn't mad at him for finding out, but for threatening me that he's going to tell Flora before me! And the worst part: He's right in that I should tell them!

"What's this bug doing in the auditorium?"

I froze in the air, mid-way into doing a back flip.

"Oh wait, it's just a fairy. My mistake." The wind lowered me down and I faced in the direction that the voice was coming from. At the top of a set of bleachers was a small dot of a figure.

"You've got something to say, say it to my face!" I shouted, "Or better yet…" I created my wind current. "…I'll just come over there!" I launched towards him, slowly stopping right in front of Mr. Icy-boy.

"What the hell was that!" He asked, a little scared.

"What's your problem? A spell! That was a spell!"

"Why're you still shouting? I'm right here." I covered my mouth, not realizing how loud I was.

"Sorry. Rough day."

"Really?" He asked in a doubtful tone.

"Yeah, fairies have hard times to, you know."

"Never met one with hard times." There was silence between us for a long time before he started talking again. "So what're you doing here?"

"I came here to practice my combat skills." Matt burst out into laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Sorry, but you came _here_?"

"At Inter-Realms, combat training was much harder than this!"

"I know, that's my point." I froze for a moment and looked at him, his ice blue eyes swirling with the sunlight's glow. "Inter-Realms must have been ten times more difficult than here. I'm just surprised that you even came for training."

"Well, where else can you do it in Magix?"

"Good point." I smiled and looked outwards. Where we stood was where we could see Alfea and Cloud Tower with a large forest in between them.

"That's weird." I turned to look at him.

"What's weird?" I asked.

"When you smile…you look…I dunno…different." I began to pout and looked at the two schools.

"Thanks, Matt, you know how to compliment a girl."

"Well, when too many girls are chasing you, you sorta don't know what to say. Mostly anything works with them."

"That's it, I'm leaving!"

"Okay, I'm kidding. But it's true, when a girl comes here to see the specialists, you can say anything to them and they'll think you're prince charming. You, however, are different; a fighter and a fairy. That's unique."

_Unique?_ I suddenly began to think about the flower he gave me, causing me to blush a little.

"Speaking of unique," I began, "Thanks for the flower."

"No problem, really. It's pretty common."

"Do you even know what type of flower it is?"

"Does it matter?"

_Jerk! Don't give a girl a flower if you don't know what it is!_

"Never mind. Anyway, I've gotta go." I got up and headed towards the exit.

"Uniquous."

I looked back at him. He hadn't moved, still looking in the direction we were looking in.

"It means 'unique flower'," He said. His eyes fell onto mine while the wind brushed through his dark brown hair. "Unique flowers belong with unique people, right?" I nodded, not really sure what I should say. "And it is special. Take care of it." I nodded again and left the auditorium.

_And that's why I like him…he tends to think ahead of me._

While thinking about my conversation with Matt, I used my wind current to take me to Cloud Tower. From what I've read about it in books, it was created by great witches many centuries ago. Rumor has it that it's a living castle, but I don't really believe it. It's true that when you get closer to it, it gets darker outside, but either way, the purple twisting castle was a beauty.

_A perfect place to practice dark spells_.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Asked a chilling voice, one I've never heard of before. I looked up and saw a floating girl in a blue one-piece outfit that had a matching "I" on her stomach…like Fury's. She did look familiar, but I wasn't quite sure where I've seen her before.

"What we have here is a pretty unique person who's going to ignore you now," I responded. I walked under her and began to walk on the winding bridge to the castle. However, the atmosphere became very cold and the path I was walking on began to freeze beneath me. With quick reflexes, I did a back-flip off the bridge to land on solid, not frozen land.

"Who do you think you are?" The witch threatened (yes, I could tell she's a witch).

"I know who I am, but who're you? And can't you think of a better outfit?" _Stella would be proud that I said that._ The witch seemed to have been insulted and snapped her fingers. On either side of her appeared two more witches, one in purple and the other and a redish/purplish color.

"Ladies, I've found a fairy that wants to be a witch."

"That's odd," Said the purple witch, "And why would Professor Griffin allow her to enter?"

"Because, Darcy, Griffin's a traitor in uniting herself with the idiotic specialists of Red Fountain and fairies of Alfea!"

"Right you are, Stormy," said the blue witch, "And we don't appreciate traitors. Darcy, go get Fury."

"No problem Icy."

_Icy? Darcy? Stormy? Holy shit! It's the Trix! From the Winx Club's memories! But what do they have to do with Fury?_ As suddenly as she left, Darcy returned and Fury was next to her.

"Well done," she said, "I believe that we're going to do great wonders together." Fury lowered herself to my level and crackled. "Scarlet Avila. The night has come to get your blood for Master Cian!"

"Blood?" Stormy asked, looking a little queasy, "No one said anything about blood. I thought it was to see her trans-" Icy smacked her hand across Stormy's mouth.

"Do you seriously wanna try and give us away?" she hissed.

"You what?" I asked, realizing that I was afraid for what they were really here for.

"No worries Icy, She's going to have to know anyway." Fury extended her hand, "I'll tell you what, if you give me some of your blood, we'll leave."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't we'll keep you here to watch the sky turn black."

"And you're officially crazy." I quickly created my wind board and rode into the sky. The Trix and Fury followed and tried to attack me, but I swiftly dodged them.

_Wind spirits! Lead me to Griffin's office!_ I took a deep breath and blew out my thought.

"_Follow our current_." I followed their advice and was led to a large window that was on the outstretch of the castle. I was about to bang into it, but something cold smacked me in the side, causing me to fall. Luckily, the wind spirits were near and carried me to the ground, hiding me in the trees.

"_You must transform!"_

_I can't. If I do, then they'll know I'm a vampire, though I think they already do._ With a deep breath, I blew my thought out again.

"_Then let us protect you. We cannot fight, but we can defend you."_

_No. I can take care of myself, but send word to Ms. Griffin, Saladin, and Ms. Faragonda that I need help._ Deep breath, and out went my thought to the wind spirits.

"_What about the Winx and specialists?_"

_Leave them out of it! Hurry!_ With that as my last thought, I felt the spirits flee in different directions as I crept through the forest. I created my wind board again and quietly glided myself through. I remember Black Mud Swamp was a place that people didn't like to go to, and so that was where I was headed…but slowly, I felt my board disappearing. Eventually, I just lowered myself and sensed my wind magic vanishing from my body.

_Oh no. It's starting. The transformation! _

[Where're those Winx and Specialists!…]

Helia: The sun's about to set.

Flora: Then she's probably headed towards Cloud Tower by now.

Bloom: Alright, let's go and-

Saladin: Boys! Girls! (Everyone turns as Saladin summons himself) I've heard terrible news. Have you heard from Faragonda?

(A sudden beeping begins coming from Tecna)

Tecna: That might be her. (pulls out mini-laptop and sees both Faragonda and Griffin) Ms. Faragonda and Ms. Griffin? (The girls huddle around her)

Faragonda: Girls, this is urgent. We've received word from wind spirits that Scarlet's in trouble.

Layla: In trouble? With what? Silent-takers? Fury?

Griffin: Only half right: Fury…and the Trix.

Winx: The Trix!

Bloom: But they were sent to Lake Rockaluché for rehabilitation. How'd they escape?

Faragonda: Through Fury and Cian I bet. But we'll worry about that later. Right now, Scarlet's in big trouble and needs your help more than ever.

Tecna: Where is she? Can you send me the coordinates to where she is?

Faragonda: I'll send you where the wind spirits came from and how they reached each school. (Does some magic and Tecna's able to download the coordinates)

Saladin: Timmy, here's the same map. (Hands him a little gadget with a map in it) You can lead the specialists if the girls get ahead of you.

Timmy: Perfect (presses buttons). And I'm able to see the Trix and Fury.

Griffin: Listen carefully. They only want Scarlet and will have no trouble in trying to destroy you. So-

Bloom: Don't worry, we'll be careful.

Faragonda: Good Luck girls.

Tecna: (Closes the gadget and puts it away) This is bad.

Flora: I know, and Scarlet's out there fighting four witches alone.

Musa: Then girls, I say we pay them a little visit from their old friends, the Winx Club.

Winx: Magic Winx!

[And how's Scarlet doing?…]

With my wind magic gone I knew that it was time. I quickly hid behind a tree and did my best to not breathe. What sucks most about transforming is that there's a moment when I'm totally vulnerable because my magic trend is switching.

_I just hope the Trix and Fury don't find me_. Suddenly, I felt my heart beat loudly once in my ears.

_It's time._

My two fangs on the top row of teeth began to grow longer in my mouth, gently brushing against my lips. The breeze (now out of my control) began to blow through my hair…which quickly grew in length, like a comb combing through it to make it grow, but not stopping until it reached my lower back. My vision quickly adjusted to the dark setting, making everything crystal clear and my sense of smell picked up, trying to pick up any sent of blood. Luckily, my teeth already grew, so I no longer had to fight against the pain. However, I now have to fight against the urge for blood…isn't that great. The only magic that I could rely on now was black magic.

"Levitation," I said, conjuring up my black magic within me to help me float. My feet slowly lifted off the ground and floated a few inches. Quickly and quietly, I moved deeper into Black Mud Swamp, but stopped.

_Damn it! I sense their presence! Which means they sense mine!_

"Scarlet!" I heard the four shout, "Where are you? We know you're here." Slowly, I landed and moved one foot in front of another and tried to keep moving, but my perfect vision spotted a gross creature approaching, the stench not far behind.

_Silent-takers, just what I need_. I shifted my steps to move in another direction when I was able to hear another silent-taker approaching. _Well, a positive about being a vampire: The five senses become incredibly stronger_.

"Looking for something." I jumped and screamed loudly as four crackling witches appeared behind Darcy, or rather a fake while the real one stood behind her. "Did I scare you with my double?"

"You're face," I said, trying to catch my breath, "It's so horrible that it scared me in the darkness."

"Horrible?" She repeated, obviously insulted.

"Let it go, Darcy," Icy suggested.

"That's right, listen to the witch with the bad one piece."

"Okay, you die now!"

"Icy," Fury hissed, "We're only here to see if she transformed."

"Transform into what?" I asked, trying to play dumb, hoping that they couldn't see my hair.

"Well, if she didn't transform," Fury said, ignoring my question, "Then let's steal a sample of her blood." The four raised a hand and pointed at me.

"Silent-takers! Take her blood!" The creatures began to approach me from every angle except where the witches stood, chuckling at their success.

_I've got no choice then…I'm sorry everyone…_

"You wanna see a transformation? I'll give you one: Scarlet Magic Winx!" Instead of the normal wind that wraps around me, it was replaced with ribbons. Midnight blue colored ribbons wrapped around me, creating my usual top and skirt. A silver dust blew in a breeze and wrapped around my waist and in my now long black hair, creating a hair band of silver with the two ends brushing against my back, but covered by my hair. Midnight blue material wrapped around my arms like normal and the silver dust created the ribbon to wrap around over them. My shoes were exactly the same; midnight blue wrapping around my feet as a high ankle boot and then wrapping like ribbons around my leg, ending below my knee. Finally, my wings began to appear, based on many ribbons wrapping around my back and creating a beautiful pair of bat wings.

In other words, it's my regular Winx outfit, but instead of it silver with midnight blue ribbons, it's midnight blue with silver ribbons and bat wings.

When the witches saw me, they were surprised and stood still for a moment. _Now that I've transformed, lets at least use the full power._

"Ribbon Strike!" I shouted as I took the silver ribbon from my hair and threw it like a whip at them. Thankfully it hit them, throwing them each of balance and to the ground. Stormy and Darcy even crashed into one another. I put the ribbon back in my hair and flew away.

"After her!" Fury screamed. I could feel their presence following me, along with their attacks. Icy threw icicles, Darcy and Fury tried to use their mental powers to trip me, and Stormy tried to electrocute me. However I was much quicker…though I had to admit a downfall of being a vampire was that you do get thirsty and when I use magic sometimes it affects my thirst. It's a matter of strength, really. _If Tecna was here, she'd say, "It's only logical that when a vampire's weak that they drink blood to gain their strength back." But did she know that drinking my own blood was good enough for a half vampire?_

So my original plan changed to "Operation: get rid of witches", and the best way to defeat a witch is by out-witting her with her own spells. I turned around and as the witches approached, I muttered the spell, "Micu Yepyv."

"Let's see you handle this: Ice Blizzard!" I simply held my arms out and froze her attack. I turned the attack around and muttered, "Ice Blizzard." The attack hit the witches again, but only Fury managed to miss it. I looked up at her as a smile grew on her lips.

"You little monster," she said, "That's what you are. And no one will accept you here."

"Trying to use mental fear tactics won't work on me," I commented, "And let's get this straight: I'm not a monster. Monsters are creatures who do bad things, such as you and the Trix…" Fury launched a green glow ball at me, but I caught and threw it in each hand. "…and I'm a vampire. Get you facts straight!" I threw her attack back at her and it hit her in the stomach.

"Silent-takers!" she choked, "Get her!" I watched as silent takers approached me from every angle. _It's true that even as a vampire my attacks are the same to them…unless…_ I brought the palm of my left hands to my lips and gently pierced the skin with my fangs. It stung a bit, but tasting my sweet blood gave me energy the smell was intoxicating. I raised the pale, scarlet wounded hand in the air, grabbing the creatures' attention.

"You will listen to me over these witches. Attack them and never return to any other realm except the O-Mega Dimension." I don't know why that one in particular, but the Winx Club said and showed that it was a good place for criminals. The silent-takers reacted at my command and began to attack the witches.

"No!" I heard them scream.

"I know you're it!" Fury shouted above the Trix, "I know your secret! You're the one! You're the one!" I stood still for a moment as the silent takers and the witches disappeared through a spell. My blood was still filling my nose and dripping down my hand. Whenever I'm a vampire, negative energy affects my attitude towards things…making me feel over-confident and pompous, two things that I never like to be.

"Well…nothing better to do now except drink I guess…" I flew to a rock near a lake, sat down, and placed my teeth in my wound, carefully drinking my blood. It was refreshing, like water, but sweet and thick like syrup. Drinking my blood wasn't something I did every month, but only when I was really bored…or lonely.

"Scarlet!" I looked up and saw a little pixi fly at me, "Oh Scarlet you're so brave! I just knew you could do it!"

"Luna? How could you tell it was me?" Luna stopped before crashing into me, her smile remaining.

"Well, when a fairy changes form, so does her pixi. Look at my shirt and boots." When I did look, I noticed that they were black rather than white. "Now we're both creatures of the night!"

"How'd you even find me?"

"Easy. I was with the other pixies when Libi came by and told us that you were in danger. Of course I flew as fast as I could to find you, but the other pixies followed me."

"They followed you?" I repeated, feeling nervous that they were near.

"Well, when I noticed I was changing, I told them to find the Winx Club and that I'll find you."

"And I'm guessing it worked?"

"I think so. Now stand up. Let me look at you." I followed her instructions as she flew around me for a bit. When she finished, she placed her ands on her cheeks and sighed. "You look wonderful, Scarlet. You're outfit, wings, and your eyes…They're silver! You look amazing."

"Scarlet?" Luna and I turned around and saw ourselves faced with six pixies, five specialists, a random guy, and six fairies looking at a vampire that was actually their friend.

_Oh no…they found me. What do I do?_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Deception and Trust

"Scarlet?" The Winx said together. My eyes grew wide as they each looked at me in total shock.

"Is that really you?" Bloom asked, hesitating to even step forward.

"It can't be Scarlet," Stella commented, "Her outfit's completely different. However, I will admit that it looks pretty cool."

"I think it's more important to determine if she's dangerous or not," Tecna corrected.

"She can't be dangerous," Musa said in protest, "It's Scarlet. Look at her face, her eyes and hair color. And just because her outfit's a little different in color, it's still generally the same!"

"Then how did she become a vampire?" Bloom asked, "She was fine this morning."

"Is it possible that the witches or silent-takers transformed her?" Layla asked.

"That's a negative. Neither witches nor the silent-takers have that capability to transform Scarlet into a vampire."

"And what about Luna?" Digit asked, "Her outfit totally changed color, which isn't natural for a fairy."

"But it's true that if a fairy changes form, so does the pixi."

"But Chatta," Lockette interrupted, "When Bloom turned into Dark Bloom, I didn't change."

"But that's because she was possessed by dark magic," Digit corrected, "With vampires, it's entirely different."

"Then what do we do?" Amore asked, "Could Luna's kiss reverse the spell?"

"It's definitely worth a try," Tune agreed. Luna and I looked at each other and shrugged. She flew to my cheek and gave it a tiny kiss. I've read about how a pixi kiss was strong enough to break any spell. But that only works if this vampire trait was a spell in the first place.

"It didn't work," Layla said, "If a kiss from her bonded pixi didn't work, then what will?"

"Hang on a second," Musa and Flora said at the same time. The two closed their eyes and focused on something. I felt the wind blowing, but I couldn't understand if they were spirits or just a breeze.

"I hear them," Musa said, "I hear the voices of the wind spirits."

"And the trees," Flora added, "They're not scared of her. They say that she's Scarlet…our Scarlet."

"Yeah, the wind spirits are whispering to trust her."

"And Luna's not scared or badly affected," Layla pointed out, "So it must be Scarlet."

I just stood there listening and feeling my regular emotions taking over. Tears began to form in my now silver eyes as my legs gave way. Luckily, my wings caught me and lowered me to the rock to sit on.

"I'm sorry," I finally said, feeling a tear run down my face, "I was going to tell you, but you then expressed how you dislike vampires and that they couldn't be trusted. I feared that if you found out, you'd not want me to be near you anymore because I'm a threat." I paused for a moment and tried to calm down. "That was why I decided to leave Alfea for the day; it would have given me a chance to keep you from finding out my secret." My eyes looked up and found Helia. "People were telling me not to be afraid to let you guys know, but I just didn't listen." I then looked up at the Winx, ignoring the others around them. "The last thing I ever wanted was to do something that would betray your trust. You've all been kind enough to include me into your club…and I understand if your afraid of me…Not everyone can accept…that I'm a vampire…" Everyone was silent as I tried to wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.

"This was you secret then…wasn't it?" I stopped wiping and looked at Musa. "We've told you that there's nothing you can say that will drive us away. I bet you if you told us this sooner, then we wouldn't have been as shocked."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," Layla second, "I told you that if you were brought to us, it was for a reason. So what if you're a vampire. We don't care what you are because whatever it is, it's a part of you."

"But this happens every night of the new moon. I have to transform back and forth."

"And you also transform if blood is in the air," Tecna added, "That's cool. With the dark spells you're learning, you're enhancing your vampire-self."

"So that explains why you're going to Cloud Tower," Stella commented, "Trust me, you look way better than the witches there, though vampires tend to have better fashion taste than them anyway." I began to laugh a little, wiping one last tear off my face.

"Oh my god, Scarlet! You're bleeding!" Bloom shouted. She rushed over and grabbed my hand. Everyone else followed as they examined the punctured wounds. "How did this happen?"

"I'm a vampire, remember?" I said, "I realized that if Cian's a vampire and he's controlling the silent-takers, then I could to. And by gaining their loyalty, I had to show them my blood."

"Here, I'll heal it for you."

"No need, Bloom." She gave me a confused look. "I've been practicing healing spells with my vampire powers. Watch." I brought my hand towards my lips and placed my mouth over the wound. My fangs began to buzz with magic and I felt a warm liquid fall onto my skin. With each drop, my skin quickly healed, and when I removed my hand from my mouth, the cut was gone. No one spoke at first, which worried me.

"Can you guys really live with this?" I asked, "I can understand if this freaks you out."

"Freak us out?" Tecna repeated, "That's illogical. How on earth were you able to do that?"

"Well, the source of my magic that I've discovered so far is in my fangs, and the only vampire spells that I know are healing ones, so I put the two together…and voila."

"Do you know any other types of spells?" Musa asked eagerly.

"Not yet, but the dark spells that Ms. Griffin will teach me might help."

"So all of the spells that you learned from your dad are spells to use in this form, since you haven't discovered more about your vampire powers?" Bloom asked, making sure she had all her facts right.

"That's right."

"Who's the vampire in your family?" Layla asked. Slowly, I noticed that everyone was sitting comfortably around me, no longer terrified about my other self.

"My dad," I answered.

"So is Aquila mostly vampires and warriors?" Flora asked.

"No, unfortunately. My dad was a simpler traveler whose goal was to study as much as he could about each planet he lived on, especially spells. His dream was that if he ever had a vampire tribe of his own, he could teach them what he knew. However, when he came to Aquila and was studying, he stumbled upon a warrior who was training like no other."

"Was the warrior you mom?" Amore asked.

"That's correct. He was watching her train and decided to study her rather than the spells. Day after day he watched her until she almost killed him by throwing her sword in his direction. Luckily he used a freezing spell to freeze it mid-air. The two didn't get along so well at first because they were both witty and clever with their words, but eventually, the chemistry and attraction kicked in and they got together."

"That's so sweet," Stella said with a sigh, "Parents being together and in love."

"So then everything went well and they had you?" Layla concluded.

"Correct! Dad decided to stay and when I was born, he expressed how he wanted to teach me all that he knew, and that's how I got to be who I am today."

"So what do you and your dad do about blood?" Tecna asked, "Don't vampires needs it to survive."

"It's really how you're raised," I answered, "Some are raised to have it a lot throughout the day, but then there're others who can live off of very little. Dad lives off of mom, but it's not like, 'Breakfast time, Lolita, give me your blood.' It's more like a midnight snack that dad has every now and then. He casts a spell on his food to give him the nutrients a vampire needs whenever we eat together. But it's never the same as straight up blood."

"What about you?" Flora asked with worry in her voice, "Won't the lack of blood affect you?"

"Not as much as my dad."

"Why's that?"

"Because I'm only a half vampire, and half vampires' can live off of their own blood rather than another. Dad always says that he's jealous of that ability I have."

"That makes sense," Bloom decided, "And that's why you can transform like this, because you're still a fairy too."

"That's another thing," Stella interrupted, "How come your first fairy form's completely different?"

"My vampire fairy powers are very limited at this point. The only 'vampire' attack I can do at this point is, 'Ribbon Strike'."

"What's that?"

"I'll show you. Layla, can you create a decoy?" Layla nodded and threw in the air a pink figure of Fury. "Good choice. Now watch closely." I took of my ribbon headband and shouted "Ribbon Strike" I threw the ribbon like a whip and it grew in length, hitting the center of the decoy and destroying it.

"That's awesome!" I heard Brandon say, "It's like you've got another weapon along with your sword."

"But that sword only works in my wind fairy form, not my vampire fairy form." I tied the ribbon back in my hair. "But that's the only weapon I've got for now until my vampire powers awaken."

"So what about sleep?" Timmy asked, "Don't you get a little jet-lagged?"

"Nope. Vampires don't get tired unless they don't have enough blood to drink. That's how my dad sleeps: he just doesn't drink blood until he's on the verge of madness."

"But what about us?" Stella asked with a surprised look on her face, "I need my beauty sleep!"

"You don't have to stay up with me at Cloud Tower," I reminded again, "I can go alone."

"No way!" Musa protested, "We're going with you no matter what. There's gotta be a spell that can keep us up all night."

"Well, why don't you girls get on that," Sky suggested, "but since everything's alright over here, we'll just head back to Red Fountain." The girls whined, but they gave in and said their good-byes. Before they left, I ran to Helia and Flora, feeling guilty for the way I acted towards Helia earlier that day.

"Listen, I'm sorry about how I reacted. I wasn't mad because you were gonna tell Flora, but at the fact that you were right."

"It's alright, Scarlet. It came out anyway, which is for the best." I smiled and nodded. "Now you've got one more problem to solve."

"Which one's that?"

"Matt."

"Matt?"

"That's right," Flora said as if remembering something, "Stella accidentally announced that you have feelings for Matt."

"WHAT?"

"Don't worry, he wasn't there," Flora assured, "But Riven seemed a little upset and the specialists were surprised."

"I'll let you go," Helia said, kissing Flora on the cheek, "Keep me posted." With that, the specialists left and I turned to face Stella.

"STELLA!" I shouted, "WHY DID YOU TELL THEM THAT I LIKE MATT!"

"It was just an accident," she said in her defense, "Besides, if you shout any louder, Matt might hear you himself." A smile curled on my lips as I showed my sharp fangs.

"Good thing you're still in your fairy form, 'cause I'm going to chase you around this school all night for humiliating me." Stella screamed while the others laughed and we spent the night chasing Stella until the sun rose over Magix.

[Meanwhile…]

Fury: Master Cian, you were right about Scarlet Avila! She's a vampire!

Cian: Is she now…(looks over at the little vile of blood)

Icy: She's definitely powerful. She was able to take control over the silent-takers and turned them against us.

Cian: Sounds like something a vampire would do. (Takes out the vile and examines it) Now that we know who she is, we can start taking a stronger approach towards her.

Darcy: But what about those Winx fairies and specialists?

Cian: None of our concern. All that matters…is Scarlet. Now tell me, how vicious did she become? Was the sight of to die for?

Stormy: Die for in what sense? She looked like a normal fairy to me.

Cian: (Pauses in disappointment) How strange…Maybe now's a good time to start taking this blood sample and seeing who it belongs to, now that we know that our vampire fairy resides in Magix.

Fury: My guess is that it belongs to either one of the specialists, the fairies, or Scarlet.

Cian: Right you are Fury. (Faces the witches with his powerful dark red eyes) Listen well, my witches. None of the other fairies or specialists matter. Destroy them if that's your desire by any means necessary, but leave Scarlet alive and bring her to me. Now, that's just a general plan. Rest up and we'll discuss how carry out this plan in detail later.

[Back at Alfea…]

The girls were allowed to sleep as long as they need to while I was allowed to keep an eye on them. Since they fell asleep, I've been cutting my black hair back to its short length and looking through my spell books to find a spell that could keep a person up all night while providing the proper energy the person would gain by sleeping. I had made a list of a few spells similar to that, but it all were spells that I haven't advanced to yet.

"Maybe Ms. Faragonda knows," Luna suggested over my shoulder.

"Good idea. By the way, I thought you were asleep."

"I was, but then I woke up. I guess the night's over for another while, huh?" I nodded as I noticed her shirt and boots were back in their original white color. The two of us headed towards Faragonda's office, only to be stopped by Griselda.

"And what are you doing out of bed, Miss Scarlet?" she asked, adjusting her glasses.

"I was looking for Ms. Faragonda. Is she here?"

"She's unavailable right now."

"Oh, then I'll head back to my room and rest up."

"Good idea." Disappointed, I went back to my room, quietly closing the door behind me. I plopped down on the couch and sighed.

"Well, I guess we'll have to practice with the spells that I found. But I just don't feel that it's good enough."

"What's not good enough?" I turned my head and saw Flora by our door, which was closed to keep from waking up Bloom, "And you cut our hair? That's such and waste. You looked so cute with long hair."

"First of all I'm trying to find spells for giving you guys energy when you stay up all night with me, but I haven't had much luck. And secondly, Long hair is for my vampire self. If I'm not a vampire, my hair stays short. It's sorta like I'm two different people. "

"I guess you've got better judgment about yourself than me. And that's alright about finding that spell. You've got a while before anything happens again under a new moon."

"You're right, I guess." Flora smiled and took my hand into hers.

"I'm glad that we know your secret now, Scarlet. It makes us more connected than before."

"Are you talking about the bond thing you all feel?" Flora nodded. "You know that this vampire condition is holding back a lot of things a fairy should have and feel. It's actually part of the reason that I could never be a full fledge fairy. I don't even have my Enchantix powers because of it. "

"That can't be true." We turned out heads to see Tecna, Layla, and Musa entering in one after another. Musa smiled, "If you can transform into your fairy form, then you can gain your Enchantix and be a full fledge fairy."

"And you've got Luna, right?" Layla pointed out, "I remember when you said that you were told that you would never have a pixi. Is this vampire thing why?" I nodded.

"It's quite odd that you're half fairy, half vampire," Tecna commented, "It's something I've never heard about before."

"What would be the most _logical_ explanation you can come up with?" I asked, making everyone giggle a bit. Tecna blushed and smiled before answering.

"Well, that's just the problem. It can go either way. It's logical that you can't reach a certain fairy level, but it's just as possible to reach it too."

"Well at least there's hope."

"Well I say that we don't worry about it until the third trimester," Flora suggested.

"That seems so long away," Layla commented, "We're still practicing our first stages still."

"Then I say we focus on another problem," Musa suggested, "Matt."

"Why?" I whined.

"Because now that our specialists know, it's very possible that they're gonna push him onto you."

"Which is bad because that might push him away."

"Exactly, Layla. And we know that Riven's the most against this, but why?" We sat still lost in thought before Bloom and Stella entered the room. We filled them in on what they missed while Stella took a seat and placed a proud smile on her face.

"Well, I'm glad that the boys know," she said, "That way they can knock some sense into him in making a move one you."

"But I'd prefer it came from his own desire to be with me rather than someone else's," I confessed.

"Well how about this then," Bloom suggested, "Riven's the only one who's strongly against it, so if we can convince him that there's nothing to worry about, then we'll have a large team of guys to help us on the 'Matt-insight'."

"And that way," Stella added, "When he's acting in an odd behavior or Scarlet can't get to him, then the boys can figure it out and tell us the problem so that we can bring this couple together!"

"Oh Stella, you're so brilliant," Amore complimented.

"I know, my sweet Amore. And with you on our side, things could really get interesting."

"Let's leave love potions and spells for never, please," I said, "If I want Matt to like me, it's gotta be from him and from his own will, sort of like when he gave me the flower."

"So who's gonna be our spy, Bloom?" Stella asked, "Me?"

"Nope. I was thinking…Musa." Musa gave a thumbs-up. A sudden ringtone fills the room as Musa pulled out her phone.

"Hey, speak of the devil. Looks like I'm off girls!"

[So at Red Fountain…]

Timmy: Riven, I don't see why you're so mad at Scarlet. So she's a vampire, that doesn't change who she is.

Riven: You don't understand, Timmy. Vampires are full of dark magic. They can't be trusted.

Brandon: But the girls trust her, and if the teachers didn't trust her, then they wouldn't have instructed us to protect her.

Riven: Look, I've dealt with black magic before, and I say she's deceiving us all.

Sky: I don't think so, Riven. Just because she's a vampire doesn't say anything.

Nabu: And even though she's a vampire, the dark energy flowing through her is different from other's I've sensed.

Riven: Of course it's different: She's a vampire! Vampires are different creatures entirely!

Sky: Riven, calm down.

Riven: And the worst part is that she likes Matt. A monster likes Matt. That's not right.

Helia: Would it matter then if Scarlet was a vampire or not?

Riven: That's not the point.

Brandon: Actually it is. If you disliked her since you've heard that she liked our newest member, then I'd say it's Scarlet you dislike rather than her vampire-self.

Riven: But her being a vampire's even worse! Don't you see? It's just how things play out!

Matt: What things play out?

All: Matt?

Riven: (Has a strong desire to say something, but keeps his mouth shut, pouts, and crosses his arms) Nothing.

Matt: (Gives Riven a questionable look and walks to Helia) By the way, thanks again for the flower idea.

Helia: Did it work?

Matt: Perfectly. She made me apologize, which was annoying enough, but things are peaceful now.

Helia: (Smiles) Glad to hear it.

Timmy: Okay, am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on here?

Matt: After that attack from that witch here, I realized that I was kinda a jerk to Scarlet.

Sky: (Looks with doubt) Kinda?

Matt: Okay, okay, I was a total jerk, and I didn't wanna leave things badly, especially since she's a warrior. So I asked Helia what I should do to create a truce with her and he suggested giving her a flower.

Riven: (says in disgust) You gave her a flower?

Matt: Yeah, I know it's weird, but girls are a completely different species in themselves, and I didn't wanna screw up again.

Timmy: Tell me about it. It's almost impossible to know what's on a girl's mind.

Matt: Right. Anyway, she forced me to apologize. I did. And I gave her the flower.

Nabu: Good work.

Matt: (Looks blankly at Nabu) Excuse me, but I don't think we've met.

Nabu: Sorry, I just got here yesterday morning. I'm Nabu, a wizard who's helping out your team here.

Matt: Cool. We could use that if that crazy witch comes.

Brandon: By the way, was Scarlet "impressed" when you told her who've beaten everyone here and haven't lost a single match?

Matt: (Feeling embarrassed and angry at Brandon at the same time) What's it matter to you?

Sky: Cool it, Matt. Brandon's just teasing.

Matt: She thinks that I'm a good fighter, that's all. Better?

Brandon: Better.

Riven: So you're actually going to after this fairy?

Matt: (Feeling threatened) I never said I was going to do anything, Riven.

Riven: Good. Keep it that way.

Matt: Do you have a problem, or something?

Riven: Just stay away from that girl and everything'll be fine! (Passes him and exits the room)

Matt: What's his problem?

[Time for the spy to enter…]

Musa: Riven? Riven!

Riven: (Walks in and surprised to see Musa in his room in her fairy form) You flew here? I could have gotten you.

Musa: I like flying. Ever since Scarlet transformed into a vampire, I'm beginning to hear the wind spirits. Weird, huh?

Riven: Yeah…(He looks at her with a concerned look)

Musa: Riven, what's wrong?

Riven: Nothing…It's just…I don't like this Scarlet girl.

Musa: Why? Is that why you called me?

Riven: Yeah. (Walks closer with his hands behind his head) She's a vampire, Musa, a monster. She's full of dark magic and can manipulate anyone.

Musa: She's not that bad. Her past is actually sweet.

Riven: I don't care about her past! I'm just worried that she's going hurt Matt…and that she's going to hurt you somehow…

Musa: Riven…

Riven: Look, I know you guys want to see the good in everyone, but she's no different from Darcy!

Musa: You're comparing her to Darcy?

Riven: Vampires and witches are under the same category.

Musa: (getting mad) But Scarlet didn't trick you into doing bad things against your friends!

Riven: Yet.

Musa (now getting ever angrier) She also didn't make you her minion for the three ancient witches!

Riven: Musa, she could! Can't you see that?

Musa: Why are you assuming that because she's a vampire, she's bad?

Riven: I'm not assuming, I know!

Musa: (Takes a few deep breaths before speaking again) What about Ms. Griffin? She's a witch and she's helped us out in the worst of times!

Riven: …

(Musa walks around the room for a bit, thinking. Eventually, she stops, remembering another reason why she's here.)

Musa: Wait a minute…this has nothing with Scarlet being a vampire. This has to do with the fact that Scarlet likes Matt.

Riven: Oh, come on, Musa, that's-

Musa: It is though. As soon as Stella said that Scarlet liked Matt, you totally lost it! And before that you were totally on Scarlet's side! (Riven crosses his arms across his chest and looks away from Musa. She quietly throws her arms in the air and grits her teeth. Once she's done, she sighs) What's Matt to you, anyway?

Riven: Nothing. He's just a friend.

Musa: Then you have no right to freak out about who likes him.

Riven: I do have the right!

Musa: Then tell me why!

Riven: (pauses and sits on his bed) Let's just say way back when, he was the only person I could ever trust.

Musa: I can understand that. Can you be more specific?

Riven: Musa, it's something you don't need to know about. It doesn't concern you at all.

Musa: (Taken back by his words and feeling angry again) It does concern me, Riven. Did it ever occur to you that whatever affects you affects me too?

Riven: Why would my past hurt you now?

Musa: Because I love you and care about you and if it's haunting you now and you're tackling it alone, I want to help!

Riven: (Looks up at her for a moment, walks over, and kisses her) Maybe one day I'll tell you, but not now.

Musa: (pouts) Fine. I'll deal with that…for now. (Hugs him) By the way, in my past, I've experienced some hard times too…and I didn't even have a Matt to lean on.

Riven: (pulls her away and gives her a surprised look) What? When did this happen?

Musa: (gives him a sly smile) That's all I'm saying. It's like a fair trade. You said that there was something that made you trust only Matt. Well…I'm saying that I've had a hard time too, but I didn't have anyone to lean on.

Riven: That's unfair.

Musa: No it's not. When you give me more details about you, I'll give you more details about me. Deal?

Riven: (obviously doesn't want to agree, but has to) Fine, but I still don't like this Scarlet girl.

Musa: You don't have to like her. But if Matt does…

Riven: He doesn't. Trust me.

Musa: (looks at him suspiciously) I find that hard to believe.

Riven: He doesn't talk about her ever. When we bring her up, he just sees her as a fairy and nothing more. She's just wasting her time with him.

Musa: Again, I find that hard to believe.

Riven: Trust me Musa, it's for the best.

Musa: (tries to think of something) You know what the Trix said that about you?

Riven: What?

Musa: Remember when we first met at Black Mud Swamp? There was that troll you were hunting for and you hated working with everyone, especially us fairies. Well, even through all that, I wanted to know more about you and soon developed a crush on you.

Riven: (blushes) What's your point?

Musa: When you were with Darcy, I saw you two at the witch hang out place and Icy and Stormy blocked me from leaving. They said that you never thought about me.

Riven: (Feels totally embarrassed, but doesn't show it) Th-that's not true…entirely, anyway. (Musa stares at him with a confused look on her face) Remember freshman year when you had that party at Alfea and that monster showed up? (she nods) Well…when you danced in front of me…For some reason I couldn't look away from you. It was like you were enchanting me to keep watching.

Musa: (giggles) Really? I didn't even think you noticed.

Riven: (feeling even more embarrassed) Well I did. And when I caught you in my arms that same night, that was when I realized that I was…(tries to find the right word)

Musa: Attracted to me? (Riven nods) Oh wow…

Riven: (the embarrass level continues to rise) Of course I couldn't show that I liked you in front of the guys because I thought it was humiliating. But when Darcy put me under her spell, she suppressed those feelings. That's why they were able to say those things to you. And when I was set free, I realized that I shouldn't try to push you away…

Musa: Do you really think Scarlet would do that?

Riven: Can you blame me?

Musa: I guess not, but if I'm to trust you that Matt doesn't like her, then you should trust me when I say Scarlet's not a monster.

Riven: (cups her face and looks at her) Alright. (and he kisses her)

[Back at Alfea…]

I was lost in my spell book, Flora was writing a poem, Bloom was playing with Kiko, Tecna was doing some techno thing, Layla was practicing some dance moves, and the pixies were playing some game outside on campus. Stella was the only one that was pacing the room with a worried look on her face.

"Stella, you really should calm down," Bloom suggested.

"Yeah," Flora second, "this even doesn't involve you and Brandon. If there's anyone who should be nervous, it's Scarlet." Stella stopped pacing and looked at me with a displeased look, her arms folded across her chest.

"But she's not worrying, so someone has to. Besides, I feel a little bad about shouting that secret."

"It's alright, Stella," I said, "But you worrying for me is fine by me. I think I've had enough worrying for a while."

"And besides," Tecna added, "isn't 'sticking your nose in someone else's business' something you enjoy?" Stella's face changed into a proud smile.

"But of course! That's what makes me so fabulous." We all rolled our eyes at her and went back to our business. After a while, Layla stopped dancing and pointed at the common room balcony window.

"Hey look, Musa's back." We stopped what we were doing and huddled around Musa. She had a proud grin on her face as her fairy form disappeared and she was back in her teal outfit.

"Well?" Stella pestered, "How did it go? Can we trust Riven now?"

"I don't think so," Musa replied, "He and Matt are apparently childhood friends, so he's sorta super protective."

"Well that's not so bad," I said, "I thought it was gonna be way worse."

"What would be worst?" Tecna asked.

"Him hating me because I'm half vampire would have been worse."

"Well, I'm pleased to announce that you being a vampire has almost nothing to do with it," Musa announced.

"What do you mean?"

"He's had some trouble with some witches and dark magic in the past, so he's a little skeptical right now."

"Great."

"But don't worry. I'm sure that he'll get used to you and that paranoia thing will go away."

"And there's a possibility that Matt likes you too," Flora pointed out, "So if he likes you too, Riven can't disapprove."

"Wait Winx." We all turned to Bloom, who was lost in her own thoughts. "Only six of the guys saw Scarlet as a vampire. Matt was the only specialist that wasn't there."

"So what're you saying?" Layla asked.

"What if Riven decides to tell Matt that Scarlet's a vampire and he takes it really badly?" I felt a sharp ping in my heart, causing me to fear the worst: Matt finds out and sees me as a monster.

"Don't worry," Stella assured, "The other specialists don't think anything different about Scarlet, so why should Matt?"

"Because he's close friends with Riven," Musa pointed out.

"I say that we worn the other specialists about this," Bloom suggested.

"Wait," I said, "Do you think it's worth telling Matt about my vampire half? If so then shouldn't I just go to him and tell him?"

"I wanna say yes," Bloom replied, "But I'm afraid that since we don't know him that well yet that we should keep things simple."

"Agreed!" Stella shouted while clapping her hands together, "Now that we agree on what not to say, let's-"

"Hold on," I interrupted. Stella gritted her teeth shouted, "WHAT?"

"Don't you think we're relying on the guys too much? I mean, don't they normally not care about these things unless it affects them?

"Scarlet's right about that," Layla said, "Maybe instead of going to the guys, we should just go to Riven and convince him to not say anything."

"No way!" Stella protested, "The guys would wanna help, won't they Bloom?"

"Actually, I think Scarlet and Layla are right. The guys are probably busy with other things and we shouldn't disturb them." Stella slumped over herself and began to sulk. Unfortunately for her, none of us decided to acknowledge it.

"Well, how do you suggest that we get there?" Tecna asked, "We can't ask the guys for a ride."

"But you can ask me," I answered with a proud smile, "We can use my wind current to carry us there in no time."

"That sounds like a good idea," Layla said. She leaned into me and placed a hand on one side of her mouth, "I've also have been eager to ride one of those currents."

"Now's your chance," I whispered back. I walked out to the balcony and pointed straight up into the sky. With a quick circle, I created the starting point of my wind current, which was like an elevator that carried you to the main current direction. My feet slowly lifted off the ground and I heard the footsteps of the fellow Winx chasing after me.

"Don't worry," I shouted below me. "Just step forward and you'll rise up to me."

"I know it's safe," Flora began, "But it's gonna be a little weird that we don't have our wings."

"I know," Tecna agreed, "If something goes wrong, then we're done for."

"Thank for having that much faith in me," I said sarcastically. Tecna covered her mouth and gave an apologetic smile. "Anyway, are you comin' up or what?" I saw in Bloom's face her determination as she stepped forward. Her arms were stretched out to feel for the current, but her eyes remained on me, since I was right above it. Once she found it, her eyes were facing in front of her and she stepped through. As soon as her weighted shifted from one foot to the other, she began to fly towards me above the others.

"Wow," she said once she was at my level, "That was so cool."

"Okay, my turn," I heard Layla shout. She followed Bloom's footsteps and didn't hesitate to enter the current. Once she was up with me and Bloom, she shrieked with joy and started to do flips. Bloom followed Layla's actions as Musa came up next, then Tecna, then Flora, and finally Stella.

"If my dress gets wrinkled," Stella threatened when she was floating with us, "You're the one who's getting my cleaning bill!" We all laughed as I answered, "No problem Stella." She nodded and finally removed the displeased look off her face.

"Now," I began, "There's only one rule about this current…Don't you dare fly out of it because if you do, you're gonna fall."

"Is it easy to fall out?" Tecna asked.

"Nope. The wind will push you towards the center if you're close to the edge. Other than that, just enjoy the ride. We'll fly in a line and I'll go in front. That means the current's narrow and there's no pushing and shoving. Once you all feel comfortable with it, we can expand it to something more…enjoyable. The wind does all that work, so don't bother trying to fly in the opposite direction. It won't work. And the wind spirits like to come and travel with us when I create these currents, so if you hear voices, they're not in your head. Anyway, I think that's it. Any questions?" The girls looked at one another and shook their head. "Then let's get going." I faced away from them and shouted, "To Red Fountain!" I began to feel the current pushing us one by one in a direction. I heard the girls scream, shriek, and compliment the starting breeze. I noticed that some tumbled a bit and others, like Layla, decided to do tricks of their own as they flew. Once we were well on our way, I heard the girls laugh, which made feel more comfortable than ever before.

_In this current, I can slightly feel the bond. It's like we're each connected to each other with six different strings_. Though the feeling was faint, I enjoyed it and focused on it throughout the whole trip.

[During that whole fiasco…at Red Fountain…]

(Riven knocks on Matt's door and enters. Matt's reading a book on his bed and doesn't acknowledge Riven)

Riven: Hey, we've gotta talk.

Matt: (not looking up from his book) I'm listening.

Riven: (opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Instead, he just leans against the wall with his arms crossed. Matt doesn't move nor respond, so Riven finally decides to say something) So how does it feel to be on a team that works with fairies?

Matt: It's interesting.

Riven: Think you might switch out?

Matt: Nope.

Riven: Why?

Matt: (Closes his book and looks at Riven, resting his head on his hand) None of your business.

Riven: It is my business though.

Matt: How so?

Riven: Because…(tries to think of something without mentioning Scarlet)…fairies just get in the way and-

Matt: Isn't your girlfriend a fairy?

Riven: But that's different.

Matt: How's that any different from the rest of the guys? You all have those fairies as girlfriends and you stay working with them. Why can't I?

Riven: (beginning to lose his patients and decides to be honest) Look, I'm glad you're on the team, but I've gotta make sure you stay away from that Scarlet girl.

Matt: (gives Riven an amusing smile) Really? Why's that?

Riven: She's not like the other girls. She's dangerous and in ways you can never imagine.

Matt: Are you threatened by her because she's a warrior fairy?

Riven: (close to losing his patients) It's not the warrior factor. She knows dark magic and she's powerful with them. She can manipulate people and turn them against their friends. She can't be trusted.

Matt: (obviously not interested) So what?

Riven: She can get to you, Matt. Trust me. You remember when I was possessed twice by people with dark magic? Do you want that to happen to you?

Matt: You need to calm down.

Riven: Matt!

Matt: It's true, you need to relax.

Riven: You can't make a move on her.

Matt: Why do you care if I 'make a move on her' or not?

Riven: Because I know whether she likes you or not.

Matt: …You know, I had no intention of being nice to a fairy. You and I had always agreed that no matter what, girls were annoying creatures. So when I first met Scarlet, I was cold to her like I've always been to other girls, but who was the guy that told me to be nice to her? Who?

Riven: I didn't know what she was then. I thought she was harmless.

Matt: Just because she's a great fighter doesn't mean that she's dangerous.

Riven: It's not just that. She's a monster.

Matt: I'm going. When I get back you better be on a leash. (and leaves.)

Riven: (On the verge of destroying everything) That girl's a vampire…she's going to ruin everyone…There must be something I can do to stop her…

[So back to the Winx Club…]

Once we reached Riven's room, I created the exiting current and demonstrated how to properly exit. Exiting was easier for everyone since they were used to the current already, which pleased me. Once Stella was safely on the ground, I made the current disappear.

"Okay," Layla began, "I vote that whenever we travel, we travel like that."

"I'll agree to that!" Musa joined, "It was so relaxing, especially since we didn't have to do any work because the wind was doing it for us."

"I wouldn't mind doing that again," Flora added, "Normally when I'm flying, I barely look down, but this time, I saw many things that I never noticed before."

"I don't mean to interrupt this conversation, but I believe that we're here for another reason," Stella interrupted.

"Stella's right," Bloom said, "Let's find Riven. He's obviously not in his room."

"I think we should spit up," I suggested, "We can cover more ground that way."

"Good idea." Quickly, Bloom left the room.

"O…kay… Does anyone else find that odd?" I asked.

"I'm jealous!" Stella announced, "She's off to see Sky. Well then I'm going to find Brandon!"

"Well, if the missions changed," Tecna said, "I'll find Timmy now."

"And then there were four," I said, looking at Layla, Musa, and Flora, "I'm guessing you two want to try and find your guys?" Layla and Flora looked at each other and then back at me.

"I just think that Nabu might be able to help," Layla replied, "He's a wizard and can probably try to track Riven down."

"And I think that Helia would want to help since he figured all this out before anyone else and might have an idea of what might happen next," Flora added.

"That's fine by me." I turned to Musa and smiled, "I'm guessing calling him would be out of the question."

"Yep. If I called, then he'd know we were coming and might tell Matt sooner." The two of us looked at the two Winx girls calling for back-up.

"I can't believe this turned out to be a big deal. So what if I like a guy. It's just a crush. I'm not trying to marry him or anything."

"Don't worry, Scarlet. I'm sure that Riven's just overly protective. You're a great girl and Matt would be an idiot to not like you."

"Hey girls," Flora interrupted, "Helia and Nabu will meet us upstairs on the quad. They said that they're more than happy to help."

"Great. So let's get going." We all did our best to find an elevator that would lead us to the top. Other specialists offered to help us, but Musa and Layla made sure that they knew we were taken and that all we need help with were directions. Eventually, we met up with the two boys on the top floor and the two girls greeted them with more hugs and kisses.

_Man, is that all they do? Jeremy and I didn't even do all that every time we saw each other._

"So I hear we're having trouble with Riven," Helia guessed, "I'm not that surprised."

"Do you really think that he'll tell Matt?" Musa asked in a worried tone.

"Probably, but I don't think Matt will believe it."

"Why not, Helia?" Flora asked, "I thought they were really close."

"Matt's not the kind of guy that'll listen to others unless under certain circumstances."

"So you're saying Matt won't believe anyone about me being a vampire unless he sees it?" Helia nodded and I exhaled with relief. "The next New Moon's not for another while, so that's a great relief."

"But we've still got Riven to deal with," said a tall, dark guy with breaded hair. I looked at him for a moment, recognizing him as the random guy that was there when I transformed.

"Are you Nabu?" I asked. Nabu laughed and nodded.

"Sorry, I forgot that we hadn't met yet. I'm Nabu, Layla's fiancée."

"Nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise. Anyway, Riven's probably threatened by you and will not change his opinion of you…unless…"

"Unless?" Musa and I said together.

"Unless you battle Riven and win. That might be the only way to gain his respect."

"But he knows as well as I do that there's no way that I can beat him without magic," I said, remembering my battle with him, Sky, and Brandon.

"Not exactly," Helia replied, "I think I've got an idea that might help you with that…"

Finally, after lots of searching, I found him. He was in the workout room lifting weights. _Yep. He's definitely the most muscular out of the six specialists._ I walked towards him and knocked gently on the wall. He turned his head with sweat dripping from his face.

_"Man, Riven looks different when he works out…he's just…really hot!" _

_MUSA! SHUT UP!_

"_Scarlet, when you scream, we can all hear it. If you want this to work, you need to focus and not yell."_

_Fine, Nabu. Sorry…maybe I should have thought this over…having five people talking to me through telepathy is a little annoying._

"_We heard that, Scarlet,_" Layla said, "_Along with the 'Riven's the most muscular' __comment." _

_"If you're wondering, I'm not offended,_" Helia announced, "_So just focus on getting him to fight with you."_

"What do you want?" Riven said coldly, pulling me away from my mental conversation. I smiled at him, trying to ignore the comments in my head, and replied, "I just wanted to chat."

"Why would I want to 'chat' with a blood-sucking monster?"

_Ouch. That hurts._

"First of all, I'm only a half vampire and don't need to rely on other people's blood. Secondly, I'm not a monster. I haven't done anything bad to anyone here or at Alfea." Riven rose and got a towel, wiping the sweat off his face. "And I would never do anything that would hurt any of my friends, especially Musa and Matt." Riven sharply turned his head and gave me the dirtiest look ever.

"You'll stay away from them."

"Who, Matt and Musa?"

"Exactly. The others I don't really care about. The guys can take care of themselves and their girlfriends."

"You know that the girls can take care of themselves."

"Either way, I won't let you go near them."

"Riven…I'm rooming with Musa and (again) I haven't done anything to her."

"Yet."

"No. There is no 'yet' and there will never be a 'yet'. Not all vampires are bad."

"You're full of dark magic and that's what makes you evil."

"I'm using it for good!"

"What good is it if it brings monsters like you here."

"Again…I'm not a monster. I'm positive about that, and so are the other specialists and my friends."

"You're friends?"

"Yeah, the Winx Club. They're my friends." Riven smiled and continued to wipe his face with the towel. He headed towards his water bottle and began to drink it.

"You really think they're your friends?"

"I don't think, I know!" Riven faced me and placed a serious look on his face.

"Did it ever occur to you that they're just being polite?"

"Yes, but I now know otherwise."

"How're you so sure? Those girls are nice to everyone if they can have a chance to be."

"Believe me. I'm sure." Riven quietly chuckled to himself as he approached me.

"It won't last," he said, "Their kindness towards you will completely end soon."

"If that's true, then why're you telling me?" I asked, clearly knowing that he was speaking lies.

"Because we specialists know these things. That's our job." I rolled my eyes as he continued. "You know, as soon as you came into the picture, they weren't really that into you."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I was there at the party while you weren't. The girls spoke to us about how 'uneven' their group had become and how they felt bad about that."

"Really?" I said doubtfully.

"Really. They continued on about how they felt that you didn't belong in their school because of your background of a warrior. They felt threatened and intimidated."

"I find that hard to believe."

"That's what Musa always said until we first were attacked by those weird creatures. She didn't believe that you would bring so much trouble with you. I mean, you did let those creatures into your school and left them to kill everyone, right?"

"How do you-"

"Tecna told Timmy and he told the rest of us. The girls were pretty surprised and told us how much they wanted a normal senior year."

Suddenly, I heard something pop in my head, like it disconnected me to something. My stomach turned into a knot as I guessed that the telepathy was cut off. The whole point was that even if they were far away, they could see and hear what I was seeing and hearing and to give me advice. I began to think that maybe they cut it off because what Riven was saying…was true.

_Well…Stella did want a normal senior year, but I pushed her to help me against her will._ Riven placed a proud smile on his face.

"Can't you see now that you don't belong? That whole 'welcome to our club' thing was just a way to make you _think_ that you belonged, but it was all a trick just to make sure you were happy. In truth, they just want things to go back to the six of them." I felt my throat become tight as I did my best to keep my anger and sadness at a small level. "There's just a point when a club gets full, and that's the case here. If I were you, I'd just leave them alone and handle this problem alone." With that, he left.

I stood there for some time for I saw the sun change directions and shadow shifting positions. In my mind I just kept on replaying everything that had happened since Inter-Realms until now, figuring out if Riven was right or wrong. However the more I looked at everything, the more faults I saw in them. My vision began to blur and I quietly left the room. My feet carried me around and I wasn't even paying attention to where they were taking me until they suddenly stopped. I didn't bother to see if anyone was around. I just crouched down and quietly cried to myself with tears falling down onto my knees.

Suddenly, I heard the rustle of pages turning in a book, which concerned me a little because that sound didn't fit this environment. I lifted my head and looked around until I recognized a boy sitting on the lowest branch of a tree I was facing. He was tall and reading a book, which was leaning against his bent leg. It took me awhile to recognize him, but once I did, I felt my blood freezing and my eyes growing wide, I realized that it was Matt.

_Crap crap crap crap a million times crap! Has he been there the whole time?_ I slowly rose up and was about to leave when I noticed that though he was facing his book, his eyes were on me. Once I caught the glimpse of his cool eyes, he looked back at his book. _I guess Riven was right. I'm just causing trouble for people._ I turned around and began to walk away.

"You're not gonna even apologize for disturbing my reading?" I stopped walking and stared at the ground.

"I'm sorry," I said before I continued on my way.

"I was kidding," I heard him say, but I ignored it. "You can stay here if you want to." Again, I just kept on walking. My heart was struggling against itself feeling like it just wanted to disappear, which was how I also felt. Suddenly, an arm blocked my way, which stopped me in my tracks. Its hand was resting against one of the pillars that were holding up the upstairs area of the quad. When I turned to the person the arm belonged to, I felt my heart stopping.

"Obviously interrupting me isn't the only thing upsetting you." I looked at him for a moment before tearing my eyes away from his.

"Come on, Scar, I can't help if you don't talk."

The fact that he called me "Scar" caught me off guard. It hadn't occurred to many people that that could be a nick name for me. However, my stubbornness took over and I refused to look at him. _I'd rather tell him that I'm a vampire rather than him seeing that I'm crying!_

I felt his gentle index finger go under my chin and moved my head so that it was turned to look into his beautiful ice-blue eyes.

"What's wrong?" As I was looking at him, I felt my heart and mind spinning out of control. They were both torn between everyone's kindness and Riven's past comments. This tearing and debating just created anger that began to flow through my body. Suddenly, I felt myself being angry at everyone and anyone I laid eyes on.

"Whatever's wrong with me has nothing that concerns you," I said in a nasty tone. Matt immediately removed his finger from under my chin and gave me a confused look. "I mean, seriously, everyone appears to be so eager to help me, but is that really true?"

"Where's this coming from?" Matt asked.

"Like it matters. I don't want any 'charity kindness' just because my school and friends are gone."

"Who's giving you this 'charity kindness'?"

"Everyone!" Matt's eyes froze for a moment. He seemed offended by what I'd said.

"So you think that I'm being nice to you…because it's just out of…"

"Politeness. And it's not welcomed and not necessary. Thank you for all your help, but I don't want to ruin everyone's final year, so you don't have to help me anymore." I was about to leave, but Matt blocked me again.

"Wait a minute, you think that I'd do something like this out of 'politeness'?"

"That's right! You, the specialists, and the Winx."

"If you believe that then you've got problems."

"I'm the one with problems?"

"Yes!" he shouted, which surprised me because I've never seen him so mad before, "From the moment I met you you've had this feeling that these girls don't care for you. They were looking for you at that party! What more proof do you need that they actually care for you?"

"Do you really think that people care so much about a total stranger?"

"Sometimes, yes. These things happen all the time."

"Well then that 'sometimes' part doesn't apply to me. They were looking for me because the headmistress told them to help me out with my situation. They were looking for me so as not to get in trouble." Honestly, I had no idea where these ideas came from, but as I said them, my anger grew and the more it grew, the more sense everything made.

"And I ask again: Where's this coming from?"

"Let's just say he's a good friend of yours. Now if you don't mind, I'm leaving." I walked around him and I didn't hear him follow after me. The anger remained to stir in me, but it was no longer at what Riven had said. I felt angry at myself for treating Matt so badly. Even if what Riven said was true, I didn't have to take it out on Matt. My heart and mind began to debate again which brought me back to my knees in emotional pain.

_Why would The Winx Club do that to me? And if Riven's wrong, why's he trying to break us up? Either way, I did bring trouble to everyone. If I hadn't come here, then no one would be suffering._ Normally, I would think I sounded pathetic being so confused as I was. But I began to believe in that bond between me and the Winx and I began to feel like I belonged. To have someone tell me that I didn't just makes me see how right they are. I belonged to Lucentia and Celia because we've been together since elementary school. I belonged to Jeremy because he was the first boy that I had feelings for and he returned them completely, which has never happened to me before. Without the people I truly belong with, where do I belong?

_"Trust."_

I brought my face up from the ground and into the sky, feeling the wind wiping away my tears.

_"The most important trait a person could have is trust." _

The wind grew stronger as it gently brought me off my knees and back on my feet.

_"Is that trait shown through these people you care about?"_

The wind suddenly disappeared and I heard a faint calling from in front of me. Small little figures were running towards me with arms in the air. As they got closer, I realized it was the Winx and other specialists.

"Where were you?" Stella asked out of breath, "We've been looking all over for you? Do you have a tendency to just runaway like that?"

"Stella, calm down," Bloom said as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Can't you see that Scarlet's upset?"

"What happened?" Flora asked, coming around to me and wrapping her arm around my shoulders, "Did Riven do anything to you?" I began to think about what the wind spirits had whispered to me before they arrived. Do I see trust in them? Have they shown any sign of doubt the whole time I've been in Magix?

"I'm sorry," I finally said, "I guess I am a bit of a problem with you guys."

"What?" Musa said in total shock, "That's just Stella talking. You're not-"

"But I need to know something," I interrupted, "and if you have any respect for me you will answer with pure honestly." The girls and guys remained quiet as I looked into each of their eyes, trying to create the perfect question that can wrap up all of my questions into one. Once I found it, I asked, "Did you bring me into your club and are you being so nice to me…because Ms. Faragonda told you to?"

"Why would you think that?" Tecna replied, "And furthermore, why would we do something like that?"

"I've been noticing how maybe I'm just bringing problems here. You guys must have been hoping to have a quiet senior year when all you have to worry about is the test you didn't study for and whether your boyfriend would ever call you back. And I just feel horrible that I've taken that away from you." Everyone was silent, which made me a little uneasy, thinking about whether that was the ideal senior year for them.

"Scarlet," Stella finally said sweetly, "We've never had a normal school year and we never intended this year to be any different."

"That's right," Layla seconded, "Trouble and danger always finds us because we're the only ones who can truly fix it."

"And if there's anyone in danger from that trouble, it's our job to protect that person." My eyes wondered through the three girls as Flora looked down at me, tucking a black strand of hair behind my ear.

"Bloom's right," she said, "And when you stepped into the room that first time with Ms. Faragonda, we knew that you needed us."

"And in some ways," Musa added, "I knew when I met you that we needed you just as much. We need to learn new things that Alfea can't teach us and you're our key."

"Exactly," Tecna replied, "Without you, we can't achieve the full power of our enchantix and become full fledge fairies." Bloom came closer to me and took my hands into hers.

"We'll say it a thousand times if we have to: You're meant to be in the Winx Club and we're meant to be with you. And nothing will ever change that." For some reason, hearing everyone saying these things made my anger disappear. I was able to think clearly and truly decide whether or not they mean what they've said.

_Headmistress Isabella trusted Ms. Faragonda, and Ms. Faragonda trusts the Winx…_ A smile grew on my lips and I threw my arms around Flora and Bloom.

"I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot. I was completely deceived and didn't think that you really cared for me." I felt more bodies hugging onto me.

"Of course we care about you, you silly vampire fairy," Layla said, "Sometimes people will say things that they don't really mean that can deceive anyone…right Stella?"

"Right. Only ninety percent of what I say is how I truly feel."

"Don't you mean that 'Only ten percent is how you truly feel'?" Musa corrected, causing everyone (including Stella) to laugh. A coughing in front of me silenced us as we turned to the boys.

"Sorry to break up this little reunion," Sky interrupted, "But can you explain to us what happened?" I began to tell them about Nabu's telepathy spell and it suddenly breaking, Riven's conversation with me, and my bad encounter with Matt.

"I broke off the telepathy because I was able to sense Riven's thoughts about you and I didn't think that Musa would want to hear them."

"It's okay, Nabu. I already know how Riven feels about Scarlet."

"It's actually sorta sad." We all turned to Tecna, surprised that she was relating to an emotion rather than logics. "Riven's doing the wrong thing in trying to mislead Scarlet, but he's also doing it out of love for Matt and Musa."

"Whatever his reason, what Riven's doing to Scarlet is wrong," Helia concluded, "And he won't stop until he gets what he wants."

"I know this might be a random thought," Timmy replied, "But what did Matt say when you told him that it was Riven who told you all this?"

"…I didn't really stay to find out. I just asked him to leave me alone and left."

"Ouch," Brandon said, "That would hurt me if I heard that from Stella."

"Brandon, darling, you're not helping the situation here."

"I'm sorry, Stel, but it's true."

"But Matt knows that this is all Riven's doing," Timmy pointed out, "And knowing him he'll probably just tell Riven to back off."

"I hope you're right," I said.

"Don't worry Scarlet," Helia replied, "I'm sure that Matt's not going to change the way he treats you."

"How're you so sure?" Flora asked. Helia gave a small smile and took her hand.

"Because Matt's the type of man that won't believe something until he sees it for himself." Flora blushed a bit as he kissed her hand.

"Dude," Brandon shouted, interrupting the moment, "Get a room!"

"Let them be, Brandon," Sky said, "But Helia's right. Matt only believes in things he sees or witnessed, never through the words of someone else. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if you told him you're a vampire that he didn't believe you."

"I've got mixed feelings about that," I admitted.

"Well that's something to worry about later," Bloom said, "But for now, I think we should head back to Alfea. It's getting dark and we've got classes tomorrow."

"Same here," Sky second. He looked over and me and gave me a thumbs-up. "Just ignore what Riven says. He's just a selfish guy that wants to be in control."

"And his girlfriend slightly disagrees with you," Musa added. Sky blushed a little and she smiled, "He's just over protective." She then turned to me. "I promise that I'm going to do my best to convince him that you're no different than me. And if he's like Matt, then we're gonna prove it."

"We're all gonna help," Layla replied, "And there's no way that Riven can deny the fact that you're on his side once he sees what you can do." I took a deep breath and smiled at my friends.

"And I promise never to doubt our friendship again. Trust's an important trait and I believe that you all have them."

"Word of a Winx?" Bloom asked, placing her hand in front of her. Everyone placed their hands in and looked over at me. For a moment, everything stood still. I looked at the friends I had made in the short time I was in Magix and realized how much we've been through. Maybe I can't feel the "bond" feeling yet, but I believed that one day I would. As I brought my hand to the middle, time seemed to have started again.

"Word of a Winx."

[Later that night at Red Fountain…]

(There's a knock on Riven's door and Matt enters, not bothering to wait for Riven's response)

Riven: Dude, you look like you just lost a battle or something.

Matt: I wouldn't say I lost a battle, but I'd say that someone here's lost their mind.

Riven: What're you talking about?

Matt: Did you really tell Scarlet that everyone's just being "polite" to her?

Riven: Of course I did. And it's true too. I mean, who would really trust that monster so fast?

Matt: Our team and her friends trust her, but you seem to doubt her. She's a warrior, Riven, not a monster!

Riven: But she is a monster! A demon even!

Matt: (clams down and approaches Riven) Black magic or not, she hasn't hurt anybody here so far and that's all that matters to me. If she used it against us, then I would see your point. But as of now…you just seem to hate her 'cause she's a good fighter.

Riven: Matt, you've got to stay away from that girl. She's hiding something and-

Matt: I don't wanna hear it. I just came here to tell you to leave her alone. She's got enough on her plate and doesn't need some jealous specialists on her back. And I'm not the only one who thinks that. Our whole team thinks you should just leave her be.

Riven: Matt-

Matt: That's all I came here to say. (He's about to leave the room.)

Riven: You can't be serious? (Matt stops) You're going to trust a demon over me?

Matt: (Turns around and leans on the doorway with a sly smile on his face) I'll tell you what: I'll stop treating Scarlet nicely…(Riven smiles with relief)…but under one condition.

Riven: Name it.

Matt: You've gotta break up with Musa.

Riven: (His smile disappears. He becomes angry and punches the wall closest to him) Are you out of your mind? Musa's my source and my energy for fighting. She's a part of me. I can't just break up with her.

Matt: Yes you can. It's simple. Just say you don't want to be with her and that's that. (Riven struggles between the two choices he has) It's your call Riven, but if you stay with Musa, then I can do what I want with Scarlet. (With that, he leaves)

Riven: (Sits on the floor with his head buried in his hands) …Musa…


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Choice of the Matter

(The Trix and Fury are in the main hall in their regular clothes, trying to debate their next attack)

Stormy: Okay, this is weird. Normally we're out and running doing crazy deeds for "the master" and Cian is giving us a vacation.

Fury: It's _not_ a vacation. Cian's the type of man that wants to look at his options before planning an attack.

Darcy: (whispers to Stormy) More like he looks at the blood vile and thinks of _other_ things.

Fury: (snaps) You are in no position to say such things.

Icy: Then what are we allowed to say? "Cian's the greatest. All bow to him"? (Darcy and Stormy laugh with her)

Fury: You know that if it wasn't for him, you'd still be in Lake Rockaluché rehabilitating from your evil ways.

Icy: We would have gotten out eventually.

Fury: Right, like how Darkar set you free after your first visit there? (The Trix blush) Exactly. Without a high level of dark magic, nothing can get through.

Stormy: How'd you know about our capture for rehab and Darkar freeing us?

Fury: When one read a mysterious legend, one gets curious about you three.

Icy: (suspiciously) What do you mean?

Fury: (a sly smile grows across her face) You three are the descendents of the three ancient witches that destroyed Domino many years ago, right?

Darcy: …Right…

Fury: But they failed, didn't they? Twice?

Stormy: (getting mad) Yeah…so? (realizing what Fury said) Twice? What do you mean "Twice"?

Fury: Once by the Heads of the three Magix schools and a second by the Winx and specialists. Didn't you know? This past summer the three ancient witches tried to steal the dragon's fire when the Winx Club went to their banishment place and were killed by Prince Sky…Well, technically he's not a prince anymore, but everyone still calls him that.

Icy: What're you trying to get at, Fury?

Fury: When the forces of good and evil were created, a bit of each was transferred to the other side to create a form of balance. A bit of the dragon's flame went to the three witches, but what they gave in exchange was a fourth ancient witch.

Darcy: A fourth ancient witch?

Stormy: That's not possible!

Fury: It is possible and it did happen. The fourth witch lay low on the side of good and explored her territory for a while. However she wasn't able to last and decided that she'd return as a young witch when the proper descendents of the three ancient witches return. Thus restoring their power and continuing their goal for ultimate power.

(The Trix stand still in shock)

Darcy: So you're saying that you're the fourth ancient witch?

Fury: Correct. And with me working with the descendents of the three ancient witches, we can actually become unbeatable.

Stormy: Well, I don't know where you've been, but it's been pretty obvious in that last battle we had that we're not that powerful.

Fury: Don't worry, everything will fall into place soon enough. Cian had told me of that legend and is well aware of our power. Once we know how to use and control it, the Winx and specialists will be no threat to any of us.

Icy: (gives and evil smile) I think that this could work out.

Fury: (gives an equal evil smile) I agree.

Icy: If what you say is true, then that means we can easily take the dragon's flame, something that is rightfully ours.

Fury: The Dragon's flame isn't the only powerful thing in the dimensions anymore, you know.

Stormy: What could be more powerful than the dragon's fire? The Relix? Ancient scrolls from every planet with secret spells?

Fury: Not quite. The dragon's flame is powerful and is rightfully ours…but there's another power that is rightfully ours AND is as equal to the Dragon's flame …

Darcy: What is it?

Fury: All in good time, sister. For now, let us find Cian. He'll be the best to explain what I'm talking about.

[At Alfea…]

"So you see girls," began Professor Wizgiz in his thick Irish accent, "transforming your whole body into an animal or creature takes a lot of hard work, studying, and total concentration. For today's lesson, let's see how well you transform yourself into…well let's start with cats and dogs." The class groaned together as the girls began to try and transform one by one into animals. No one had been able to fully transform, but almost all had some aspect of a cat or dog.

"MY FACE!" Stella screamed, "IT'S COVERED IN FUR!"

"Oh relax, Stella," Bloom said calmly, "At least your hands and feet aren't like a dog's…like mine are."

"You've got to focus before you can start transforming" Tecna suggested

"I barely transformed." The Winx looked at Flora, who had cat ears and a cat tail swishing behind her. "I look and feel really weird."

"It's okay, Flora," Layla said, "You look better than most of the people here."

"Hey girls," Musa replied, "Have you seen Scarlet?" The girls began to look for me under my desk or around the classroom.

"There're her boots," Bloom pointed out, "But where's the owner herself?" Little did they know that I was sneaking about room, running between everyone's legs. I shifted my weight to my back legs and quietly leapt into the air, landing on Wizgiz's desk. My new four legs wandered the area for a bit before sitting down with my front paws between my back ones.

"Oh now, what have we got here?" Wizgiz announced. "Looks like Scarlet's been able to fully transform into a cat." I began to lick my left paw and scratched my nose before looking at my classmates.

"That's Scarlet alright," Musa said, "Her eyes are grey like they normally are and her fur is black like her hair color." She looked closer and laughed, "She's still in her white top and navy skirt."

"Mreow," I said, though I really wanted to say, "That's right".

"Well Scarlet," Wizgiz interrupted, "Do you think you can transform yourself back into a girl?" My little heart began to pump cold blood as my eyes grew wide. _Oops. I totally forgot the transforming back spell_. I did my best to smile, but it was difficult to do with a little snout, so I just shook my head. Wizgiz laughed, prepared to snap his fingers and said, "Returnous Humanous." Snapping his finger when he finished the phrase caused a puff of smoke to suddenly surround me. I felt my legs growing longer and my fur leaving my body. My snout began to push back into my face as my body began to grow into its normal size. Finally, the smoke cleared and I noticed that I was in the same position when I was a cat. I began to laugh with my class when the final bell rang.

"That's it for today, girls," Wizgiz announced. He repeated the spell and everyone returned to normal. "Try to practice turning into and out of a cat or dog. I can assure you that a presentation test will be coming up on it." I jumped off the desk as everyone began to leave and went towards my boots.

"Well I'm glad my face is back," Stella said when I finished putting on my second boot, "The thought of having all that fur…" she shuddered by the thought.

"How were you able to transform so fast?" Layla asked, "We all had trouble and only got halfway there."

"I dunno, really," I answered, "I just focused on what I'd look like as a cat and recited the spell. Suddenly, I was a cat and so I decided to be sneaky."

"Well I know who I'm asking for help with this assignment!" Stella announced.

"Don't ask me. I never learned transformation at Inter-Realms, so this is super new to me."

"Either way, you seem to know what you're doing and that's what counts in the end."

"Thanks, Tecna."

"Hey, do you think that we can skip Griselda's class today?" Stella asked.

"We can't do that," Flora replied, "We'd get in trouble." The girls began to debate while I dug my hand into my pocket. I pulled out my cell phone and looked at it, making sure that I hadn't missed any calls or messages. No incoming calls or messages. Great.

"I guess Matt didn't call, huh?" Layla said over my shoulder, causing me to jump.

"N-no way! I w-wasn't seeing if Matt called." All six gave me a doubtful look. With a sigh, I looked back at my phone. "I called him before, but he didn't pick up, so I left a message. I even sent him a text, but he didn't write back. I guess he's still mad at me."

"Matt's just a boy," Stella said, "He's just trying to act all 'I'm super cool and will wait till the last minute to call back'."

"How're you so sure?"

"Because he's a boy and boys like to do things like that to make us girls freak out."

"Well I don't like it."

"I'm sure Matt's got a good reason for not calling," Flora suggested. I looked at my phone and held it tightly. I could understand if Matt never wanted to talk to me again, but at least he should hear me out. At least that way, I've done all that I could to make everything better between us.

"I think I really blew it."

"Hey, you don't know that for sure," Musa replied.

"But for now, it's best for you to remain focused on your studies," Tecna said, "Plus, you need to try and learn more about your vampire-self if you wanna be stronger."

"You're right. I've got other things to focus on." However, I didn't think that I convinced her.

"Hey, after Griselda's class, let's go outside with some of your spell books and start looking for spells that you can practice as a vampire," Bloom suggested, "Spells, I find, are the best way to not think about boys." I nodded as we continued to our next class. On our way, we bumped into our pixies, who all appeared to be in a hurry.

"Where're you all going?" I asked. Luna and the pixies stopped and looked behind at us.

"I sense something calling me in the Alfea library, so we're going to try and find it," Luna answered.

"Do you need any help?"

"No thanks. You just focus on your school stuff." Quickly, she and the other pixies disappeared down the hall.

[So where'd they go?]

(They arrive in the library)

Luna: I feel it. It's definitely here.

Lockette: So what exactly are we looking for?

Luna: There's a book here that's calling me. It's powerful and unique, but it's also faint. I'm guessing that it's either really old or extremely thin.

Digit: (presses some buttons on her wrists, causing a screen to appear in mid-air) I can limit our search by finding the oldest and thinnest books in the library.

Chatta: Wow, I wonder what type of book it is. Maybe it's a powerful book that will show us the truth about Cian. Or maybe it's going to show us how Scarlet can become stronger. Or maybe-

Pixies: Chatta! (Chatta covers her mouth)

Tune: This library is very dusty. I don't want to touch something that hasn't been properly cleaned.

Luna: Then you can clean the books we pull out.

Tune: Now that sounds better.

Amore: So where do we start?

Digit: There're some books in the east part of the library that match our description. I believe that that's a good place to start.

(Pixies head to the east part of the library when Luna stops. She looks behind her to find golden gates with a gold lock rattling gently as if something was about to come out. Without hesitation, she flies in)

Luna: The restricted section…this is where many dark and beautiful truths lie along with spells of every kind. (Continues to fly around until she suddenly stops) This feeling. (Flies to a shelf and looks at the spine of each book, slowly scanning so as not to miss anything. Suddenly, she stops) This is it. (she pulls it out and looks at the cover of a small, thin book that's titled _The Legend of the Beautiful Creature_) By Countess Clarissa. Hmmm…

[Back to the Winx]

"Scarlet, you're never going to get any work done unless you focus," Tecna pressured.

"I'm sorry. I'm focusing."

"No you're not. You're thinking about Matt."

"Can you blame me?" I asked, giving Tecna a puppy face. She rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I guess not. But you said that you wanted to forget about him."

"Just until things get straightened out," I clarified, "Not forever."

"Oh Tecna just let her be," Layla suggested, "You know as well as any of us how it is with those specialists."

"I know but I don't like how this Matt's acting. It's illogical."

"Or maybe he's not that into me."

"That's even more illogical."

"But if he was interested, then he would have called, right?" The girls nodded as I lay down on my stomach and buried my face in one of my sell books. "That's what I thought."

"Why do you like him so much?" Bloom asked. I looked up at her and thought for a moment.

"I don't know. At first I thought he was a silent loner that was just quiet and to himself. He wasn't even rude or anything, just…to the point."

"Really?" Stella said in shock, "I remember him just being a total jerk."

"That's right," Musa second, "He threw his helmet to you and blamed you for his lose at Red Fountain. That's not…not jerk like."

"That wasn't the first time I met him."

"WHAT?" They all said together.

"So you've know him before our trip to Magix?" Flora asked.

"Well, not 'know', but I met him at the party…" I began to explain how we met in the courtyard and how kind he was, which surprised everyone.

"So then…what is he?" Musa asked, "He's not a jerk, but he's no saint either."

"I dunno. All I know is that when he's around, I either feel really happy that he's beside me, or really pissed off that he insulted me. He tends to switch his comments like the way the wind changes directions." I sighed again and rolled onto my back.

"Well how about this then," Stella suggested, "What if I hold onto your cell for you and if he calls then I'll return it. That way, you're not constantly looking at it."

"Stella, is this another trick to butt into someone else's business?" Musa asked.

"That's actually not a bad idea," I said. Stella smiled her successful smile and took it.

"I promise to take good care of it."

"Now that that's taken care of," Tecna interrupted, "How about we get back to work here."

[Meanwhile with Luna…]

(There's a knock on Faragonda's door)

Faragonda: Come in. (Enter the Pixies. Luna's carrying a thin book) Ah, the Winx Pixies. What can I do for you?

Luna: Ms. Faragonda, I found something that I think will help us understand what we're up against. (Lowers the book onto the desk) I felt something in the library and found this in the restricted section.

Faragonda: (picks up the book and examines it) Countess Clarissa. I've heard about her. (Opens the books and flips through the pages) This book is full of different poems.

Digit: Actually, it's a story book that only uses poems.

Faragonda: A story book?

Luna: Yeah, like each poem is a chapter of a story book. Just look at the first poem.

Faragonda: (Opens the small book and reads to herself. Suddenly, her eyes grow wide and slams it shut) You have definitely found something of great value towards us, and I think that the Winx would want to know about it, especially Scarlet.

Amore: Then we'll go and find them right away.

[Back to Scarlet…]

"Now remember, Scarlet," Tecna reminded me, "You've got to try and wrap your negative energy around the spell book to try and levitate it. It's one thing if it's yourself, but another if it's a different object or person entirely. That way, if you transform mid-battle, you can use objects around you as a weapon of some sort." I sat cross legged, playing with my long black hair, and my eyes tightly closed.

"Tecna," I began, "First of all, can you warn me before you slice my hand open." I raised my left hand that was neatly wrapped in a ribbon that I didn't know I even had. "And second, when I'm my vampire-self, my eyes become super sensitive to the sunlight. How can I practice a spell when I can't even see what I'm doing?"

"But since you're only half vampire, the sunlight doesn't hurt you as much."

"Still Tec, I like to prepare myself before having my eyes roasted under the sun. Just because I don't burn in the sunlight doesn't mean I can't feel it"

"Sorry."

"Girls!" I faced in the direction I heard the voices coming from and felt a little body lying across the top of my head.

"Scarlet, why are you in your vampire form?" I immediately recognized Luna's voice.

"Tecna turned me into a vampire to help me expand my offense ability. However she forgot to ask about my eyesight."

"Well, you can open your eyes while I'm sitting up here," Luna replied, "Remember how I can stop you from transforming?" I nodded and took a deep breath. Slowly, I opened my eyes and noticed that the sun didn't bother me as much as it did earlier. I looked at the Winx Club who looked into my eyes.

"You're eyes are so pretty when they're that silver color," Flora commented, "I bet if Matt saw that, he'd be really impressed." I felt my cheeks grow hot as I looked at the grass.

"Anyway, you all seemed to be in a hurry," Bloom said, "Is everything alright?"

"Faragonda wants to see us," Chatta answered, "Luna found a book by a lady named Countess Clarissa and Ms. Faragonda says that it can help us learn more about this Cian guy and what he wants."

_Countess Clarissa? The vampire poet?_

"Then what're we waiting for?" Bloom asked. Quickly, we all began to run to Faragonda's office. Luna clamped her hands tightly around thick strands of my hair so as not to fall off. As I ran, I noticed girls giving me a surprised look at my hair, suddenly being longer that it's above-the-shoulders cut. Finally, we arrived at Faragonda's office. She was holding a small book with a red wine color cover and gold embroideries that circled around it.

"My Winx girls," she began with a warm smile, "I've got some good news." We all smiled and leaned in closely, eager to hear what Faragonda had to say. "Luna said that she felt a certain book calling her into the restricted section of the library." I looked as far up as my eyes could roll, but I couldn't see my pixi. "She and the other pixies had been searching for a mysterious calling book and found this." Faragonda showed us the small red book.

"What is it?" Bloom asked.

"It's a thin and ancient story book written in poems."

"Poems?" Flora repeated, "Chatta mentioned that they were written by Countess Clarissa. Is that true?"

"Indeed it is. Do you know something about her?"

"She was a vampire poet many centuries ago," I answered, "That was at the time before vampires were seen as monsters."

"Correct," Faragonda replied, "And after reading and examining the first poem, I believe that she knew something that other people during her time did not."

"And what was that?" Tecna asked.

"That one vampire was going change what her people stood for forever."

"What do mean?" Stella asked, "Like someone gave vampires a bad name?"

"Exactly."

"So Countess Clarissa was able to predict the future and placed it as a warning through her poems," Bloom thought aloud.

"Here, I'll read it to you and you tell me what you think it means." As Faragonda began to open the book, I looked at my friends as they looked at one another, not knowing what to expect.

"_The balance throughout dimensions shall be  
Forever gentle and serene and calm.  
But when one man obtains the power that's free,  
Then the balance shall fall into his palm. _

_He will be a power sucking demon,  
Run with the desire to hunt and to kill.  
Though he will never appear in the sun  
Everything then shall be under his will. _

_He will not be alone, for there are four  
Who will be willing to help him along.  
People in pain is pleasure to the core  
But they don't know their power alone is strong. _

_Gruesome creatures with foul desires are made  
And ev'ry dimensions shall fall again.  
New tragedy shall then form in the shade,  
Under the vampire named Cian Carden."_

I felt chills run under my skin as she finished each stanza, but a large one came after she said the last two words: Cian Carden. It was so big that I had to throw my hands on my shoulders to prevent my muscles, organs, and bones from jumping out of my skin. Faragonda finished and adjusted her spectacles, looking at each of us as she peeked at the next poem on the next page behind the one she had just read.

"That was…creepy," Stella commented, breaking the silence that filled the room. We can all trust her to break the silence in almost any situation. She wouldn't be Stella if she didn't, and that calmed us down a little.

"Yes, it is quite unusual," Faragonda admitted.

"But what does the poem say beyond the text?" Musa asked, "It has a typical poetic sound: ten syllables in each line, but it isn't the perfect iambic pentameter."

"Countess Clarissa's style was just to use ten syllables and an 'ABAB CDCD' rhyming pattern," Flora added, "And the only reason she did that was to make it easy for the eyes to read."

"Flora, you know so much," Stella commented, "Where have you been taking these poetry lessons from? Or rather 'who has been teaching you'?" Flora smiled before Faragonda coughed to grab our attention again.

"Flora and Musa are indeed right about the structure of the poem, but the meaning underneath it is what's important."

"So then what's the meaning?" Musa asked again.

"I think it might mean that Cian was gaining enough power to try and tilt the balance between light and dark, good and evil, those types of things," Bloom suggested.

"That's a start," Faragonda said, "But I believe there's something else. Can you see it?" We were all silent for a minute, analyzing the poem that we've heard in our minds. Luna remained on top of my head as I thought about the "power sucking demon" part.

"What about the part about the four that are helping him?" Tecna asks, "Is it possible that the author means the Trix and Fury?"

"That's my feeling, Tecna," Faragonda answered.

"But what about the part about how their power alone is strong enough," I asked, "Strong enough for what?"

"That I don't know, but I'm sure Ms. Griffin will have a better idea if it relates to the Trix and the new Fury."

"And their power's unknown," Layla added, "So that mean that they don't know what 'it' is yet."

"I think you girls are beginning to get the hang of it."

"But Ms. Faragonda, what about the 'power sucking demon'?" I asked, "I know that the 'demon' refers to Cian, but what about the 'power sucking' part?"

"Wait a minute," Bloom and Tecna said at the same time. They looked at each other and then at the rest of us.

"Silent takers," Tecna pointed out, "They suck magic and blood out of its victim down to the last drop."

"So that must mean," Bloom added, "that Cian's power is probably the same. He needs to drain people of their magic and he created silent-takers to help out with that."

"So then that means," I concluded, "All-in-all, all dimensions were balanced, then Cian, (who's a vampire) obtains 'free power' (meaning he stole other people's power) and becomes a power hungry monster. Then he creates the silent-takers to increase his power drastically and since he can't come out into the sun, he can still send his creatures to do his dirty work, which means that he's a full vampire."

"But can't your dad handle the sunlight back home?" Layla asked.

"He can because of a spell that I have yet to learn. It's a typical and new vampire spell. Anyway, point is, Cian can't handle sunlight."

"Well if we ever face him, I'll be sure to brighten his day," Stella said.

"Can I finish?" I asked. She nodded and I rolled my eyes. "So while his creatures do his work by day and he does his own thing at night, no one's safe and everything and everyone must abide by his will. Then the Trix and Fury come into the picture, helping him with more of his work, but the witches don't know about the power they posses, which is something that we don't know about either. Finally, there's the fact that even though other dimensions have been through a lot, this new tragedy will be under Cian's command." Faragonda smiled and nodded.

"I think that's exactly it, Scarlet." She closed the book and picked it up to show us. "This book, I'm guessing, is a prophecy about what Cian intends to do or what he did during Countess Clarissa's time."

"How far have you read into the book?" Layla asked.

"Only that poem, but I will send a copy of it to Saladin and Ms. Griffin."

"So what should we do?" Bloom asked.

"For now to debate a course of action to take. We now know who Cian is and the power he might hold along with his connection with the four witches."

"There's one more thing." Everyone faced me, curious to know what else there was. I nervously began to twist a long black strand of my hair before continuing, "Remember when you found me in my vampire form this past new moon?" They nodded, "Well, before you showed up, Fury shouted how I'm 'the one' and that they knew my secret now…I think that I was whatever or whoever Fury was looking for."

"That's true," Layla replied, "Fury mentioned how Cian's looking for someone. Do you really think it's you? And if so, why?" I shook my head.

"Thank you for sharing that," Faragonda said, "Though I'd wish that you told us sooner."

"Sorry. I sorta forgot."

"Well at least we know now. Head back to your room and relax a bit. This is a lot of information and when you're ready, then you can plan a course of action." We all nodded and left the room. However, before I reached the door, Faragonda called me back. The winx froze inside and outside of the office and did their best to listen.

"Scarlet, I just want to let you know that I'm still trying to see if I can contact anyone on Aquila."

"I thought that you would. Any luck?" Faragonda shook her head. "I see." I felt tears gather in my eyes as I thought of my mom and dad.

"Don't give up hope, Scarlet. I'm sure that if Saladin, Ms. Griffin, and I try to figure out a weak point in this blocking spell, we'll be able to make contact." I nodded and wiped the tears out of my eyes. "And I see you're in your vampire form a little earlier than usual." I smiled.

"We're trying to expand my powers so that if I do transform, I don't have to worry about not having spells in my back pocket."

"You've got good friends," she whispered.

"You bet I do!" With that, I ran to the other girls and filled them in on what Faragonda was talking to me about. We were quiet as we walked towards our room. My mind kept on wondering to my parents and hoping that they were alright. I looked at my injured left hand and held it close to my heart.

_I wonder what mom and dad would say about the Winx and specialists knowing my secret?_

Even when we entered our common room, we were still quiet. We all took seats in our couches and arms chairs. I sat on the floor, leaning against an arm chair Layla was sitting in, with my legs crossed and my hands gripping onto my boot. The pixies floated around the room, but slowly calmed down and sat at out coffee table in the center of our chair grouping. Luna was _still_ sitting on my head and Chatta was flying around like a bug with and angry look on her face.

"That's it!" she shouted, causing me and everyone else to jump a little. "This silence is driving me crazy! Someone talk about something please!"

"We're sorry, Chatta," Flora said, "It's just what Ms. Faragonda said was a lot."

"Yeah," Stella second, "Sorta puts a damper on everything else." I looked at my injured hand and began to unwrap it.

"If you don't mind," I said, "Can I just heal this and transform back to normal?"

"Sure," Tecna answered, "Well practice the spell later." I nodded and placed my mouth over the wound, allowing the warm healing liquid to land on my hand. Once it was healed, I took a breath of fresh air and felt my teeth being pushed back into normal sized fangs.

"Thanks Luna. You can move off my head now." Luna leapt off my head and joined the others. "And I'm gonna cut my hair."

"I still think it's a waste," Flora said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood as I rose up and headed towards the bathroom, "You look so cute like that."

"But that's for my vampire-self, and I'm not a vampire right now." No one responded as I began cutting my hair by tying it in a loose pony-tail and cutting below the band. Then I evened out the strand starting from the right side and ending on the left. Once it looked normal, I went back to join the others, who were talking about what the witches might do next.

"Why don't we wait until they come," I suggested, "Worrying about when the next attack's gonna be is gonna drive us crazy." Suddenly, I heard a loud crackling sound and the crumble of something solid, like a rock. We all ran towards the window and gasped. The four witches were floating in our quad and were attacking at random on our buildings. I noticed the damaging building of the east wing with a gaping hole from Stormy's electrical attack.

"Well, it looked like we didn't have to wait long," Stella said as a joke.

"Let's get going girls," Bloom replied, running out of the room. We followed after her, watching other students pouring into the hallways to go fight outside. By the time we reached the quad, all of the professors and Faragonda were fighting against the witches, but even they weren't doing so well.

"How strange," Paladiam said, "We were able to easily beat them before."

"They're stronger because there's one more of them," Griselda pointed out. As Bloom turned to face us, I smiled at her.

"I say we get this witches away from Alfea, Winx style." With a nod, we all shouted, "Magic Winx!" and we transformed into our first fairy forms.

"I say that if we're doing this Winx style, Scarlet should use her wind current to push them away from here," Layla suggested.

"But to where?" Musa asked.

"Black Mud Swamp is a good place," Tecna answered, "It's far enough from all the schools and the trees should provide good coverage for us."

"I'm for that." I raised my hand and pointed at the four witches. With my index finger, I drew a circle around them and shouted, "To Black Mud Swamp!" The four of them began to look confused as a strong wind current began to blow them away.

"We better follow them," Bloom suggested, leading us into the current. Before I entered, I noticed little grey/brown spots growing on the ground and forming into many silent-takers. The look on Faragonda's face was of total shock and fear, but before I can do anything to help, my wind current pulled me in and led me to the witches and Winx. As it pulled me, I watched the professors scattering to gather students and help defeat these "gruesome monsters" (as Countess Clarissa puts it). _Please,_ I secretly prayed, _Please let no one get hurt by these monsters. Let the people at Alfea beat every last one of them_.

"How'd we get over here?" Stormy asked in outrage. I suddenly remembered that the witches were close and I had to be on guard.

"Our brilliant Scarlet had created a wind current to carry you out here," Stella answered. All four looked at me as I smiled and bowed in the air.

"Thank you for riding 'Wind Current via Scarlet'. We hope you come again and enjoy your stay in Black Mud Swamp." I looked up and saw the witches looking furious.

"Why that little-" Darcy began, but Fury placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Remember, sister, we're here with one purpose."

"That's right," Icy replied, bringing her hands up at eye level, cupping them as a blue ice ball began to grow. "Time to show some skin, fairies!" She raised her hands and let glow ball fall, releasing many sharp icicles at us. I watched Bloom crouch into a ball and glowing red, then stretching out at an orange-red sphere covered all of us. She did this so fast that before the icicles could even hit us, they melted into water. Icy growled as she tried again, but the results were the same.

"We can't be on defense forever," Flora announced, "I think we should try to a convergence."

"Aw, another convergence spell?" Darcy said from behind our sphere, "That's only if you can see where you're attacking." She stretched out her hand as her eyes began to glow purple. "Sphere of Darkness!" A purple circular pulse began to hurdle towards us as we tried to dodge it. However the farther we flew away, the bigger the pulse became. A huge wave of negative energy slashed me in the back and spread like poison through my body. Slowly, darkness covered my eyes and my wings refused to fly anymore. Gravity began to do its main purpose and pulled us down, me specifically by my wings. I heard the girls screaming as my mind was scattered about what to do. The distance between us and the ground was far, but I wasn't quite sure how far. _This is going to hurt!_ was all that I could think about.

While I was thinking all of this, I heard a rustle within the breeze that grew as my body came closer to the ground. Before I could even react or turn in the air, a pair of what felt like arms broke my fall. On my right, I felt the body heat of the person and heard their breathing pattern. Somehow…it seemed familiar to me…

"Good thing Faragonda told Saladin that you girls left for Black Mud Swamp or we wouldn't have made it," said a familiar voice far away from me.

"Sky?" I heard Bloom asking equally as far, "Is that you?" Soon I was able to hear all of my friend's voices mixed in with those of the specialists (and Nabu. He and Layla were pretty close to me). _Wait a sec, if these are the specialists, then…_

"Matt?" I asked, trying to picture his dark dark brown hair and ice-blue eyes, looking down at me with that genuine smile that made my stomach flutter. He didn't answer. "Matt?" I asked again. Still nothing, but I noticed his breathing becoming deeper and deeper the more I called his name. His chest would push against my right arm with each breath. _I guess he's still mad at me. Can't say I blame him._

"Oh goodie," I heard Stormy shout, "The boys are here. More fun for us, right sisters?" I began to hear the crackling of the witches along with the crackling of the electricity building up around Stormy.

"Watch out!" I cried, hoping that the guys could take us away from danger.

"We better get going," I heard Timmy shouting.

"Right behind you," Brandon called afterwards. I felt Matt's arms stretching to reach the handle bars of his bike and heard the familiar rumbling of the jets, pushing us away from the witches.

"And where do you think you're going?" I heard Icy say, "Stormy, you think you could shake things up a bit?"

"You didn't even have to ask." I heard her grunt as I began to hear lighting striking close to me. The wind-rider jerked in different directions with every strike, picking up speed and slowing down constantly.

"Are they following us?" I asked Matt. Still no answer. _Okay. He can't shut me out like this, especially not now when witches are attacking us._ With my annoyance taking over my guilt, I shouted, "Look, if you're not Matt, you could at least let me know who you are. And if you are Matt, THEN ANSWER MY FUCKING QUESTION, YOU JERK!"

"Yes. They're following us." My heart skipped as I registered his smooth voice running over my ears. I felt my cheeks growing hot as I tightly closed my eyes from the embarrassment of screaming at him, though it was pointless to close my eyes when I couldn't see anyway.

"And excuse me for not responding fast enough," he replied in an annoyed tone, causing me to open my temporarily useless eyes. "Carrying a heavy warrior fairy takes away a lot of energy." I began to pout as my annoyance about him returned.

"Muscle weights more than fat, you know" I mumbled like a little kid. I heard a small chuckle coming from Matt's throat.

"That's true, so then I guess you being heavy shows how strong you are." The heat in my cheeks spread throughout my face as I tried to focus on the bigger picture, like the witches attacking us and me and my friends not being able to see because of Darcy's spell.

_There's gotta be something that I can do to at least give us more time_, I thought, trying to scan through the library within my mind full of spells. Eventually, I was able to remember that I could use my wind powers to either carry us away faster or to push the witches back. I closed my eyes and placed my hands apart, but brought them close to my chest. The wind magic began to leave my body and flow out of the palms of my hands, forming (or at least, I hoped it looked that way) a swirling, silver wind ball. Once it matched the size of my hands (since I could at least feel it), I asked Matt, "Where're the witches, exactly?" I heard Matt not answering again, but soon I heard him take a deep breath.

"They're on my left, behind Riven, and the right of Helia." I nodded and repeated what he said in my mind, sending it through my arms and into the swirling ball. It began to have a pulse of its own, eager to leave my hands and to serve its purpose. Without hesitation, I released it and felt its presence disappear. For a while, I didn't hear anything except the occasional lightning strike, but then it suddenly didn't return.

"What's happening?" Flora shouted.

"It seems that something's holding the witches back," Nabu answered, "Like a strong wind force."

"Wind force?" I heard the girls say.

"Then that's gotta be Scarlet and her wind current," Layla explained.

"It's pushing them back! Way to go, Scarlet!" Musa shouted. I heard everyone cheer for me and I smiled. Eventually, the wind-riders slowed down and I felt Matt shifting his body weight away from the handle bars.

"We'll be safe here for a while," Sky announced.

"Not to be rude or anything," Tecna interrupted, "But we don't know where 'here' is."

"Tecna's right," I heard Bloom say. "There's gotta be a way to get rid of this spell."

"I've got an idea," I replied, "Here's a hint: What scares away the darkness?"

"LIGHT!" I heard Stella shout, "Of course! Faragonda always said that my sun power was like a guide that shines the way!" I heard some rustling on her end. "Okay. Boys, place the girls around me in a circle." As I felt Matt walking in a direction, I heard Stella shout, "Solaria!" The arm that was under my knees slid away and Matt lowered me to a spot on the ground. Once my feet were solidly planted, he placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me a little to the left. He then removed his hands, but I felt his presence still behind me.

"Boys, you might wanna step back," Stella warned, "It's gonna get really bright here." I heard the boys stepping back as I began to feel Stella's magic growing inside and around her. "Ready girls?"

"Ready," we answered. There was a pause before Stella continued.

"Alright then. Sun Power!" Her words echoed through my ears as I left my eyes wide open. Slowly, I began to make out figures that were suddenly appearing before me. Then I began to recognize trees, bikes, the other Winx, and Stella with her scepter held high in the air. There was a bright light coming from its circular center that soon returned the details in the area around me along with the beautiful colors that weren't just black. The light around Stella slowly began to disappear and she fell to her knees. We all crowded around her and got her back on her feet.

"Did it work?" she asked weakly.

"You bet it did," Bloom answered, "Now I can see better than ever." She took a deep breath and stood up straight.

"I'm just glad that I can see again."

"Me too," Flora replied. She turned her head towards something and her smiled widen. "And thank you guys for being our eyes." We all followed her gaze and saw the guys huddled together.

"I can't tell what's brighter," Brandon said, "That spell or my stunning princess."

"Oh Brandon." Stella walked over to him and gave him a kiss. "Sometimes you just say the sweetest things."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for."

"Not to break up the romance," Tecna interrupted, "But we've got a problem."

"What is it?" I asked, looking over her shoulder. As usual, Tecna had a gadget out and was punching in numbers.

"I tracked down your spell and it worked beautifully, but when Stella restored your eyesight, the spell disappeared." I thought for a minute before smacking my forehead with my hand.

"Oh my god! I totally forgot!"

"Nice work. Now they're going to cripple you again." I felt my blood beginning to boil as I placed a smile on my face.

"No need to worry, Riven. We just need to do a convergence spell and they'll be out here in no time." Riven had his arms crossed and his back to me.

"So when will they be here?" Helia asked, changing topics (thank you, Helia).

"They're on their way," Timmy answered, "So if you girls want to beat them, you better think of a convergence spell fast."

"Blasting them outta here's a good plan," Musa suggested.

"But trapping them would be better," Bloom pointed out.

"And this discussion's gonna have to be put on hold," I interrupted, "because they're gonna be here soon. So let's at least get ready for their attack."

"I agree. It's the most logical approach without argument or lose of time."

"Fine," Bloom replied, "Then get ready everyone. There after something, but we don't know what."

"Is it possible it's Scarlet," Layla suggested, "especially since Fury now knows her secret?"

"I don't think it's me."

"Do you think it might have to do with all of us?" Flora asked, standing next to me, "Icy and Darcy's attacks were so big and were able to reach all of us at once."

"Not bad, Flora. You're smarter than you look." I felt a chill run down my spine as I looked up to see the four witches looking down at us. Actually, they were glaring at me because of my spell.

"That was some trick, Scarlet," Fury announced, "But it's not going to work this time."

"Don't worry," I said with a smirk, "I wasn't planning on using that attack for another while." Fury's eyes focused harder on me before she spoke again.

"Well whatever it is you're gonna try to do, it's not gonna work."

"Really? And why's that?"

"Because our main goal this time is just for you to show enough skin for us to slice," Stormy shouted as clouds began to gather above her.

"Skin to slice?" Bloom repeated. Suddenly, I noticed her eyes growing wide as if realizing something. "That's what Icy meant when she said, 'Time to show some skin, fairies'."

"They're going to shred us?" Stella shrieked.

"That's what we're allowed to do," Darcy explained, "But all that matters is that we get some blood from every one of you."

"Okay, that's just nasty," Musa commented.

"Enough talk!" Icy shouted, "It's the fight for your own blood. Think you can do it?"

"You bet we can," Layla said, her legs shoulder width apart and arms in position to launch an attack. As Icy threw another icicle attack, Layla created her pink ball and stretched it to be like a bounce-back net. The icicles hit and hurdled towards the four witches, who all missed the attack.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that," Fury announced.

"How come you always say that we're gonna pay for that?" I asked as I felt the wind wrapping around my fists, "Maybe you should leave us alone and then you wouldn't be so beaten up!" I threw my wind punches and it crashed Fury into Icy into Stormy into Darcy.

"Let's go, Winx!" Bloom shouted and our battle began. The specialists and Nabu helped out too, but since the witches were in the air, it was harder for them to attack. But they were able to manage. However, there were moments when I would just float in the air as I watched Matt launch his arrows at the witches. It was like he was putting me under his spell he was so good. Of course when I realized I was dreaming mid- battle, I would shake my head and continue fighting…which lasted a really long time. Luckily, I've been trained to handle long battles, but I began to worry about my friends. I knew the guys would be alright because this is what they're trained for and Nabu's a wizard, so he'd be alright in protecting himself and Layla, but something in my gut was telling me that their protection wasn't going to be enough for the Winx girls.

"How long…can we…keep this…up?" Flora asked, panting from all of the spells she'd been using. Helia immediately came to her aid, wrapping her arm around his neck while grabbing her waist to hold her up.

"I dunno," Bloom answered on her knees. She began to cough, catching Sky's attention and distracting him from the battle.

"This isn't good," Helia pointed out, "We need a plan now or you girls aren't going to last much longer."

"We're fine," Musa replied in one breath, "We just have to fight harder."

"Musa, you can't overwork yourself," I said, "You're not used to fighting this hard for so long."

"I know, but we can't give up!" I tried to grab her wrist, but she flew into the air and faced the witches. "How about some music, witches?" She clapped her hands together, causing sound waves to escape from her and hitting the witches. They covered their ears as they were thrown away by the waves. We all cheered for her down below, but a slight wind change caught my attention. There was dark magic in it and it was heading towards Musa, who was performing a victory dance. Panic struck me as I jumped into the air and flew towards her.

"Musa, look out!" But before Musa could do anything, Darcy suddenly appeared behind her and wrapped her arm around her neck. She struggled against her grasp and tried to escape, but it looked like the harder she tried, the tighter Darcy's grasp was.

"Look what I caught, sisters?" The other witches appeared and I moved back, trying to think of a way to save Musa.

"You caught a live one, Darcy," Icy commented, "And her skin's so perfect." She paused as her smile turned into a chilling grin. "This reminds me, don't I have an old score to settle with you."

"What're you talking about?" Musa shouted.

"Remember when you were just a freshman and you were spying on Darcy with her boyfriend."

"That was a billion years ago!"

"And what did you do?" Icy asked, ignoring her comment, "You slapped me and left finger prints on my face!"

"Poor Icy," Fury said, "How terrible that your face had to be ruined."

"Don't worry, Icy," Darcy replied. She opened her free hand and a purple ball grew, transforming into a little, purple, curvy dagger. My eyes grew wide as Musa saw it appear. I'd never seen so much terror on her face before in my life. "I can do the damaging for you."

"Oh that's right," Stormy said, acting like she didn't know anything, "Musa took your boyfriend away." The four of them began to crackle together as Darcy brought the knife closer to Musa's face. I felt my emotions become over powering as I focused my powers to center within my body. It swirled through my as I began to glow silver. I was trying to make sure that when I released this energy, it would hit the witches and not touch Musa. The time to release this magic was approaching when a scream caught me off guard.

"OW!" Darcy shouted, dropping the dagger and touching the side of her face. I looked and noticed a red slash across her cheek and a single line of blood dripping down. My heart beat began to bang loudly in my ears as my fangs began to grow. In total panic I refocused my energy and aimed at my teeth, hoping that it'll prevent me from transforming.

"_Scarlet._" I looked up, with my hands over my mouth, and saw Musa looking right at me. I saw her lips moving, but couldn't hear a thing until the wind blew. "_Go down to the other girls. You can't transform. Not again in front of them again anyway_." Without thinking, I nodded and lowered myself quietly to the ground. As soon as I was standing, I fell to my knees, hands still over my mouth, and suddenly felt many hands on my shoulder.

"It's okay, Scarlet," Tecna said, "We're here to keep an eye on you."

"What about Musa?" I whispered, nervous that if I spoke the fangs would grow.

"Look and see for yourself," Layla suggested. My eyes rose up and I saw Riven walking towards the witches with many star knives in his hand, ready to throw at any moment.

"Let my girlfriend go." He said, loud and clear. Darcy gritted her teeth and summoned the dagger back into her hand.

"Do that again and it won't just be your girlfriend's blood you're gonna lose."

"I said let her go!"

"Or else what?" Riven swiftly knocked the dagger out of her hand again and sliced her other cheek. Even though her blood didn't smell the greatest (because she was way too evil for my taste) it just made my teeth ache even more.

"Just slice her up, Darcy!" Stormy encouraged. However, when Darcy tried to summon up the knife again, it didn't return.

"Looking for this?" Riven asked, waving around the purple, curvy dagger. Darcy began to growl like an animal when Fury stood in front of her.

"Then how about a trade," she suggested, "We'll give you three options. One: You have to give us your blood. Two: You can give us your girlfriend's blood…" Her green eyes then fell upon me, her evil smile growing wider as her evil idea entered her mind. "Or three: You hand over Scarlet Avila to us to take to the master."


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey readers! Thanks for reading this far into the story. Sorry that i haven't been posting as well as i should be, but i'm trying. Also, thanks for the reviews! They're major encouragements to write my chapters whenever i've got writers's block. Anyway, Without further adieu, the next chapter!_

Chapter 10: The Unexpected

"What?" The Winx and specialists said.

"Don't do it, Riven! It's just some of my blood!" Musa shouted. "I can handle it!" But Riven showed no sign of favoritism to the choices Fury offered, though it was pretty obvious which choice he did prefer. _Might as well just say, "Hey, we'll give you new fighting equipment if you hand over the monster." Nicely done, Fury_. I began to feel my fate being set as I searched through the specialists, looking for Matt. He was found to be leaning against a tree as if amused by the situation, which didn't make me feel any better.

"Well?" Fury asked, "It's either your girlfriend, Scarlet, or you. Take your pick." Riven closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them, they were looking at me. But the weird thing was that they didn't look cold or mean, but rather…thinking about not selling me to the devil. Finally, he looked up at Fury.

"All you need is blood, right?" Fury nodded. "Then take mine."

I thought I was going to burst into tears of joy. My hands were still over my mouth, keeping in my cries of relief. For some reason, Riven not handing me over overwhelmed my vampire instincts from taking over, numbing the pain for a while. My friends relaxed in relief smiling down at me and at Riven.

"Are you crazy, Riven!" Musa shouted.

"Oh shut up," Fury replied. She flew down and began to approach Riven. "Are you sure you want to do that, little boy?" Riven showed no sign of fear towards her, but answered, "I'm sure. Just let my girlfriend go and leave Scarlet alone."

"But why do you want to keep a monster among your friends? What if she kills them?" I noticed Riven's hands rolling into fists as if wondering the same question himself.

"She may be a monster," he began. His eyes went to Musa as she continued to struggle in Darcy's grasp. "but if my team and girlfriend trust her, then I have to trust her too." Fury paused and looked at her fellow witches.

"Well, sisters, what do you think?"

"I say we stop talking and take some blood," Stormy announced.

"Yeah," Darcy second, "Besides, we've got Musa. She's one of the people we're after, so let's get some of her blood." I watched the witches carefully, trying to think if there was anything I could do to help. Slowly, I felt the Winx leaving my side and noticed them tip-toeing towards the witches, ready to ambush them in their debate. As they got closer, Icy's eyes moved towards them and stretched out her hand, releasing a blizzard wrapping around my friends. I quickly got on my feet to run after them, but something grabbed my wrists and held me back. In the same motion, I was jerked backwards and was wrapped in a pair of long arms.

"Don't move." I pinched my lips together tightly, piercing a bit of my upper lip since my fangs were still trying to grow. "If you stay hidden, we'll have a chance that they'll focus on them and not you."

"I can't leave my friends, Matt," I whispered, slowly licking my lip to get my blood, "I've got enough strength to fight."

"No you don't." His grip became tighter as if I was fighting against him, which I (surprisingly) wasn't. "You were fine until Riven stepped in. You put up a good fight, but you're just as tired as the other girls." I took a deep breath and looked back at my friends. Their lower halves were in blocks of ice. I watched Bloom and Stella trying to melt it with their sun and fire power, but oddly enough, it wouldn't melt. Icy began to laugh as she watched them struggle.

"That's an old ice spell I just learned from the ancient witches many centuries ago. Not even fire can melt it." Bloom looked up at her, her hands tightly clenched in fists.

"We'll get out of this."

"Right, moving on…" She faced the other guys with hands placed on her hips. "Now it's up to you, boys. Give us your blood or your girlfriends are going to suffer."

"Riven's already decided on trading himself for Musa," Stormy reminded, "Will you do the same?"

"Of course we are," Sky said, "And I speak for the team." Fury pointed at Nabu.

"What about you?"

"I'm with the team," Nabu answered. Fury smiled and shrugged her shoulder.

"This is going a lot better than I thought it would."

"Come on, then," Icy replied. She held out her hand and within a glowing blue ball, an ice blue dagger appeared that looked identical to Darcy's. "Let's start cutting." Fury and Stormy too created their daggers of purple/red and green and followed Icy. Darcy let Musa go and placed a dark spell on her, paralyzing her midair, and followed the other witches. The boys stood strong as they approached them.

"This is crazy!" I hissed, "I can't just stand here as they get their blood! This is so-" A sudden idea popped into my head, interrupting me midsentence.

"'This is so' what?" Matt whispered.

"I've got an idea!" I replied, ignoring his question. "It involves dark magic, but I'm sure it can work."

"Dark magic?" Matt said with a surprised tone.

"My dad taught it to me. It's a long story." There was a pause before Matt placed his mouth by my ear and told me, "I'd like to hear that sometime." My whole body, especially my face, became hot from his voice.

_Focus, Scarlet! You know a spell that can save your friends. Alright. I can do this._

"Umm…Matt?"

"Hmmm?"

"I need my hands."

"Oh. Sorry." He slowly let me go and I took a deep breath. I stood tall with my eyes closed and my hands laced together. Conjuring up dark magic was hard to do when I was in full fairy form, but it wasn't impossible. My anger towards the witches stirred inside of me and I began to convert that into negative energy. Once I was filled with so much hatred and anger, I lifted my index fingers, placing them together with my other fingers still laced over. My energy began to swirl up through my body towards my index fingers and building in my hands. Eventually, I allowed some of the energy to form a small, dark blue ball above my two fingers, placing the final touch of my preparation portion of the spell.

Carefully, I aimed my index fingers with the dark blue ball at Nabu first since he was closest to me. The witches were coming closer and I had little time to hit all six guys. _That still shouldn't be a problem_. With a push of my energy, I released the dark ball at Nabu, which was quickly absorbed into his skin. Next, I aimed at Helia, Timmy, Riven, Brandon, and Sky, each of them having the same, positive results. My negative energy was still flowing through me and I felt that I should do something else with it, so I decided to take aim at my friends, starting with Musa. I pushed my energy though my fingers and hit her followed by the other girls.

_Just one more thing before this spell is complete._ "Rin Wel Jhool." Inside of my body, I felt twelve pieces of my dark energy swirling within the people I had injected.

_Now none of them can get hurt by these witches_. I withdrew my energy from my hands and kept the spell alive by keeping my dark powers in the core of my wind power.

"You're already done?" Matt whispered. I turned my head to see his face, looking amused by my actions, "That was pretty fast."

"When I perform these spells, time tends to slow down, giving me enough time to focus on my energy. Then when I'm ready, time returns to normal. But to those around me, it's like I prepared the spell really fast."

"Let's hope it works." I nodded and looked at the guys first. The witches were now face to face with them, each picking the one they want first. Finally, Darcy was ready to strike Riven. I watched her placing her purple blade against Riven's skin while his eyes were tightly shut. Quickly, she pulled the blade back and I heard my friends gasp. My hands immediately went over my mouth, preparing for blood to spill in case my spell didn't work.

"Woah," I heard Brandon say. My hands slowly moved away from my mouth as a smile grew on my lips. The look on Darcy's face was priceless! Her eyes and her jaw were wide open, her body completely frozen.

"What the-" She pulled her dagger back and examined it.

"What's the matter, Darcy?" Stormy asked.

"It's this dagger that Cian gave us. It won't cut Riven's skin." In hearing this, Riven opened his eyes and rubbed his cheek that was touched by the blade. His eyes grew wide as he felt no pain.

"That can't be right," Fury replied, "Cian would never give us useless weapons." She looked over at Helia and smiled. "I think you'll be my victim." She swiftly moved the knife across his cheek, causing for Helia to turn his head.

"Helia!" Flora screamed. Fury laughed and looked at her dagger. Suddenly her laughing stopped and she examined Helia's face.

"Why isn't there a slash across you face!" Helia rubbed his cheek and shrugged. Quickly, he launched his string grabber…thingy (I still don't know what it is) and wrapped it around Fury, who dropped her dagger.

"This is impossible!" She screamed. Icy and Stormy tried to slice Sky, Brandon, Timmy, and Nabu, but they were also unharmed. Fury summoned her knife and cut the strings around her.

"They're spelled!" Icy shouted.

"Then let's shred up those fairies," Stormy suggested, "They shouldn't be spelled." The witches nodded and headed towards my friends. The specialists began to chase after them, but only to stop in their tracks when they noticed that the blades didn't work again them either.

"W-why aren't we being cut?" Flora asked as Stormy's blade kept brushing against her skin.

"I don't know," Bloom said in amazement as Icy tried to saw her arm off, "It's like someone casted a spell on us too." I watched with a grin on my face until Bloom said that. Fury immediately picked up her words and quickly faced me.

"You!" she shouted, "You cast a spell over them!" I gave a shy smile and took a step back.

"I didn't think that it was necessary for you to slice and dice my friends like vegetables." Fury began to grind her teeth in anger and flew towards me with her green dagger held tightly in her hand. I had my arms outstretched, ready to create a shield if she was going to slice me.

"I'M GOING TO SKIN YOU AND PERSONALY HAND YOU OVER-" Suddenly, there was a figure in front of me and I could hear the sound of skin breaking. My teeth suddenly began to throb with pain as I tried to hold them back with my own will power. However, when I recognized the figure, my throbbing teeth were the least of my worries. In front of me was Matt, his left hand gripping tightly onto the green dagger and his red blood pouring around it. The sweet smell filled my nose, weakening my body to the point where I was shaking and panting. _I can't do this…I have to transform…_ Finally, I allowed my fangs to grow, causing my black hair to grow, my fairy outfit to change from silver to midnight blue, my fairy wings turning into the bat wings, and my eyes to shine silver like my ribbon in my hair, waist, and forearms. Luckily, no one noticed because Matt's height blocked everyone's view of me. However, even though I had transformed, I was still trembling, especially since I was beyond thirsty.

"You have some blood," he said coldly, "Now get out of here before I take this dagger out of your hand and stab you with it." I couldn't see Fury's expression, but judging the faces of the other three, she must have looked terrified. Swiftly, she pulled out her blade from his grasp and flew as far away from him as she could. I watched her examining the dagger, which was filled a bit with Matt's blood.

"It works," she announced, "The blood that fell upon this dagger was absorbed into the crystal blade. Come, sisters, we have gotten the blood from one out of the fourteen victims we were assigned to." The Trix glared down at us, pausing before doing or saying anything.

"Don't think we're through with you," Icy said, "There's thirteen of you left to give your blood and we will succeed." With that, they vanished. I began to take a few steps backwards when Matt suddenly collapsed. We all ran towards him, me wrapping my arms around his shoulder and across his chest to support him.

"Matt, what's wrong?" Riven asked, coming over to the left side of his body. Matt weakly opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

"My…hand…it's…" Bloom immediately bent down and examined it.

"I can heal this with my powers." She closed her eyes and began to glow fire red, her matching hair rising and acting like flames. When it calmed down and the glow went away, she looked surprised. "I…I…" She gave me a worried look. "I can't heal it." I heard Riven growl in his throat as he shot me a death glare.

"I shouldn't have spared you," he spat, "If I had handed you over, Matt wouldn't be this badly injured!" Normally, I would stand up for myself against him, but since Matt was hurt because he was trying to protect me, I felt responsible for his suffering.

"Riven, you can't blame Scarlet," Musa said, "It was my fault that I didn't listen to her when she told me not to fight anymore."

"That's not-" But Musa shook her head.

"If I had listened, Matt wouldn't have been hurt…and I'm sorry for that." She closed her eyes and looked away from Riven, like she was embarrassed for what she did. I noticed Riven about to leave and comfort her, but once his eyes saw his injured friend, he decided to stay.

"There must have been something on the blade to cause him this much pain," Flora suggested, "Or that something is so powerful that even Bloom's dragon fire can't heal it." My grip on Matt's shoulder and chest tightened with anger as I felt tears coming to my eyes. Although the sun was setting, the trees provided shade to protect me, but that didn't stop the pain I felt._ Even though I was mean to him earlier, he still gave his blood to protect me from Fury's blade. There has to be something I can do to help him_.

"Gross," Stella commented, "The bleeding won't stop." Layla took Matt's injured hand from Bloom and began to thoroughly examine it. After about a minute, she said, "Flora's right about something being on that blade." With her right hand, she created a pink ball to cover up her hand like a rubber glove and gently swiped the area around Matt's gushing wound.

"Check this out." The girls huddled over her as she continued her explanation. "It's a clear liquid that doesn't mix well with the blood. Plus, because it was away from the cut and the blood itself, it's possible that this liquid is what's causing the bleeding to continue."

"Can I have that sample, Layla?" Tecna asked. Layla removed the rubber glove and folded the pink liquid to be like a pink rod, holding the mysterious clear liquid at the other end. Tecna grabbed it and began to analyze it with her techno-magic.

"This is unbelievable," she cried when she did some research, "I can't even find it in my database." Everyone groaned while Tecna continued to type away.

"Hey Scarlet, maybe now's the perfect time to try out your healing powers." I looked up at Stella, who was giving me a kind smile. "You can try putting the healing liquid on the wound without putting your mouth towards it, right? Now's a good time to try it out."

"That's a great idea, Stella!" Bloom said.

"Well, I'm always full of good ideas."

"Do you really think I can do that?" I asked, not feeling so confident with my vampire powers.

"Of course you can," Flora answered, "You just have to focus and look within yourself to find your power."

"And we have faith in you," Musa replied. She did her best to give her supporting smile, "So give it your all."

"Okay then." I rested Matt's head on my lap and I placed my palms together, resting my chin on my thumbs and my nose hovering above my index fingers. It was easy for me to summon my vampire healing liquid from my fangs. The hard part was trying to get only the liquid out and without landing on my tongue. Suddenly, a thought came to me. _It's worth a shot. I can at least use it like a lotion of some sort_. I took a deep breath and pulled my lips away from my hands.

With my hands still pressed together, I stretched my thumbs down, creating a ninety degree angle between my index fingers and thumbs. This angle revealed to me a dark hole, an area that my palms couldn't reach. Keeping the ninety degree angle, I tilted it a bit to the left as I tilted my head to the right. I began to create the liquid and I brought my hands to my mouth. Acting as if I was going to bite myself, I opened my mouth wide and placed my fangs into the small hole. Thankfully, my lips were touching my hands, thus not spreading around my spit (which if I knew was on Matt would totally embarrass me till the end of time). My hands felt the warm liquid slide slowly down in two neat rows. When I felt that they reached the other side of my hand, I pulled my hands away from my mouth and opened them. A smile grew on my face as I saw two clear, dark blue color trails across my left hand.

"Nicely done Scarlet," Tecna commented, "You were able to successfully place your healing liquid onto your hands."

"Thanks, Tec." I rubbed my hands together of the liquid, feeling confidence rise within me. "Riven, could you support Matt's head while I do this?" When he didn't answer, I looked at him, but I didn't see his mean face. Instead, he looked amazed at what I've done. "Riven?" I asked again. Snapping out of his amazement, he shook his head and came over to look after Matt's (beautiful) head. I flew over to Matt's hand rubbing as much of the liquid as I could onto the cut. Bloom kept his hand steady as I placed every drop of Vampire ointment over it.

When I removed my hand, I watched as the deep, gushing wound began to close up, leaving only dry blood around his hand. I felt a buzz of excitement flow through me, but at the same time I felt myself having trouble supporting myself mid-air. Bloom moved over and made room for me next to Matt's side, allowing me to collapse over my knees, taking deep breaths so as not to get dizzy. The air was fresh, without any trace of fresh blood. Thankfully, I began to transform back into my fairy form. Even after I was fairy again I still felt dizzy, though it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, for a smooth groaning escaped Matt's lips, which assured me that he'd be alright.

"Matt!" Riven shouted, "Are you okay?" His eyes slowly began to open as he began to look all around him.

"Yeah," he answered, "I think I'm fine."

"How's your hand?" Bloom asked. He slowly tried to lift himself up, which he couldn't do without Riven's help.

"Feeling less painful." He looked at it and began to open and close it, making sure it was functioning properly. "What happened?"

"We're not really sure," Timmy replied, "Layla found some weird liquid around your hand that we suspected came from the dagger. It apparently kept on making you bleed and deepened your wound a lot."

"Did you ever figure out what it was?"

"Negative, but I'm sure if I do more research on it, I can figure it out."

"You can always count on her," Timmy whispered, "She's an expert."

"And you're madly in love with her," Brandon added. As Timmy's face changed colors, I felt a hand grab my arm.

"You feelin' alright?" I looked up seeing Matt's concerned look. "That witch was going full speed at you and you refused to move."

"I was prepared to use my wind shield if she got any closer," I said, "But then you jumped in and really hurt yourself." I heard him "hmmm" to himself in amusement, bringing up his right knee, resting his elbow on it, and placed his head on the back of his hand. His sly smile and look in his eyes made my blood rush through my body and my wings flutter.

"So you were worried about me?"

"Of course I was! You were the one they weren't after and you risked yourself for me!" He blinked in astonishment as I continued, "At Inter-Realms, we were taught that sacrificing yourself was only necessary when the enemy isn't focused on you, but on the person you care about most. In the event that you do, it's the greatest honor you could perform to that person and normally you die. But what worried me so much was that you performed this great act for me…and there was a big chance that you would die for the person you don't care about most." I paused for a moment as I stared into his eyes. They appeared to have been listening to my every word, which embarrassed me even more, so I added, "And I really can't handle any more deaths right now considering how many people I've lost over the course of the school year. The thought of losing another-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," Matt interrupted, sounding suddenly a little annoyed, "I was more that glad that I did that. It was the right thing to do and that's what I was taught." I felt my body freezing in place as a cold chill of embarrassment ran through it.

"Right…that's what you were taught…at Red Fountain."

"So I just rewarded myself with some extra credit points. It's not every day a specialist could sacrifice himself for a fairy. So really, I should be thanking you."

"Oh…" For some reason, I had the sudden urge to just leave and pretend he never existed. I must have had a blank expression on my face because I heard Matt calling my name. Sorry. No one's available right now. Instead of responding to him, I just got up and headed towards Musa.

"How're you feeling?" I asked her. She still looked a little tired from the battle, but she did her best to smile.

"I feel fine. I'm glad that you were able to heal Matt. He must be thrilled that you saved him."

"Funny you mention that. It didn't come up in our short conversation, so I'll just leave it for him to imagine."

"What? Are you serious? But you saved his life. He should know that!"

"Even if he did know he only stepped in front of me because of school work and because it's his duty." I sighed. "But I'll admit…I thought for a moment back there that he put himself between me and Fury because he wanted to protect me." Musa wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a hug.

"It's okay, Scarlet. I'm sure he meant to protect you. He probably just doesn't want to say it."

"I hope that you're right." Musa pulled away and closed her eyes for a moment.

"I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you earlier. If I had listened then-"

"It's okay. Either way everything turned out alright. Plus I learnt a new way to heal people. That's good, right?"

"Musa." We turned out heads to see Riven, looking like his normal, grouchy self, but Musa apparently saw something else. She headed on towards him as I began to look at my friends and specialists. They were all wrapped up in one another, as if everyone was separated by war. The only other single person in the crowd was Matt, and he was walking around, stretching his arms and swinging them lost in thought. The look on his face appeared like it was confused about something and that he was determined to figure out what.

_Oh Matt. Why did I have to fall for a guy that's hot and cold towards me?_

"Can we please head back to Alfea now?" Stella pleaded, "I'm really tired and the thought of blood makes me queasy."

"Sure thing, princess," Brandon said. He turned his head to find Sky and shouted, "Hey lover boy! Let's bring these girls back to Alfea!"

"Good idea!" Sky replied. The mumbling crowd huddled around towards the wind-riders. The boys mounted and the girls prepared to fly.

"Scarlet, are you feeling up for flying?"

"I feel fine, Flora. I can definitely make it back to Alfea with my wings." Flora didn't look convinced, but smiled anyway.

"I just worry about you. That's all."

"Thanks. And I know you are." Once everyone was ready, we all headed towards Alfea. _I hope everyone's still alright. Last time we were there, the school was under attack by silent-takers. I hope they're gone now._ We were all silent on our way back to Alfea as the trip didn't take long. Once we reached the campus, I noticed the students and faculty still out and about, relaxing and resting from their battle against the gruesome creatures. Faragonda sensed our presence and looked up at the sky with a proud smile on her face.

"Welcome back Winx. It seems that the silent-takers have retreated."

"Same with the witches, at least for the moment," Bloom announced once she landed.

"Well done girls."

"How're things here?" Tecna asked.

"It seems that those creatures are an endless bunch," Griselda replied, "But after some time, they too began to vanish."

"Is it possible that their power source is connected to the four witches?" Layla wondered aloud.

"That we're not sure about," Faragonda answered, "But for now, say good-bye to the boys and let's head up to my office. I must know the detail about your battle with Cian's helpers." Without hesitation, the girls sprinted towards their guy, hugging and kissing and saying how they'll talk soon. I was about to head inside when something hit the side of my head. Down on the ground was a paper airplane, folded perfectly and symmetrically. Naturally with curiosity taking over, I picked it up and opened it.

"_Meet me on your balcony at midnight. Don't tell the other girls_." I blinked at the note as I re-read it, not quite sure what to make of it. When my ears picked up the sound of wind-riders getting ready to leave, I quickly turned around to see if it was Matt, but I was too late. They were already out the front gates and the girls were walking towards me.

"What's that you've got there?" Stella asked as she walked by me.

"Nothing." I answered, folding the paper into fours and following them. We transformed out of fairy form and I slipped the note into my jean skirt pocket. As usual, Faragonda was at her desk sitting in her red chair, though she appeared more tired than she normally did.

"So my Winx girls…What happened?" Bloom took the liberty of telling the headmistress what happened, looking at each Winx as she talked about them. Faragonda listened closely and nodded every now and then letting us know that she was paying attention.

"Finally, Scarlet used her vampire healing liquid to heal Matt's wound without placing her mouth over it and now he's full recovered. Then we came back here and…well…here we are."

"That is quite a story," Faragonda admitted, "So the witches are after the blood of the specialists and you girls. That frightens me a little."

"How so, Ms. Faragonda?" Flora asked, "Should we be worried?"

"Not at the moment, but what bothers me is how I have no idea what he wants your blood for. And it's not even a large amount, but like a decent prick or slice should do the trick."

"His tactics are definitely different from our past enemies," Bloom mentioned.

"That's affirmative," Tecna second, "And from what little I know about this guy, he seems to take a slow approach with each battle. Sort of like he's allowing for a lot of error on the witches part."

"If that's the case, then why do they seem more powerful as we fight them longer?" Musa questioned, "Like before this battle, Icy, Darcy, and Stormy didn't have enough power to affect all of us. And the weirder part is that they did it easily and successfully and we have one more Winx."

"But they also have one more witch, which apparently increases their strength greatly."

"So what can we do, Ms. Faragonda?" I asked, "If Cian's taking his time and studying us, then we should probably do the same."

"I agree with you, Scarlet. And judging by today's sudden attacks, I don't believe we'll really know when the witches will strike next."

"Then can we just relax until then?" Stella asked, "A spa vacation sounds perfect to me!"

"Not yet, Stella."

"Yet?" she repeated, "I never got a 'yet' out of Faragonda ever!" She began to shout with joy while Faragonda continued.

"Once we have a better understanding of who Cian is and what he's capable of, you girls are going to need your power to the max, and that can be easily accessible when you're relaxed and full of positive energy."

"But what about achieving full enchantix power?" Layla reminded, "Shouldn't we focus on that primarily since it might help us defeat Cian and his creepy creatures?"

"Your school curriculum this year is already covering that, so don't worry about it, Layla." She sighed and nodded in response.

"And we're going to get a spa vacation soon," Stella chanted, "I can't wait!"

"Well now," Faragonda said, changing her tone and expression. She had on her kind smile once again. "Why don't you go to your room and rest. I'll assure you that the witches won't attack like that again."

"How're you so sure?" I asked.

"I'm going to put up a barer to keep them, their creatures, and (in worst case scenario) Cian out. Sort of like I did when Valtor was on the lose."

"Is the barer going to go up at eight o'clock sharp again?"

"I'm not sure Tecna. I'm actually going to have to look up and ancient spell barrier to keep those creatures and people away. Why are you asking? Wondering if you can invent something to open the barrier again?" Tecna began to blush as she did her best to give her innocent smile. "I don't mind if that's what you're trying to do. I learned last year that it's impossible for me to keep you girls within the school walls at night. I'll tell you what: Once I find a barrier to use, I'll let you know how you can open a small section without weakening it and without letting the enemies in." The girls began to cheer with joy while I just stood there, not understanding anything.

"Now go relax. I've canceled classes for today because of the sudden raid attack, so you don't have to worry about making up school work."

"Thanks, Ms. Faragonda," we said together and with that, we left her office.

For the rest of the day we just hung out Winx style with pillow fights, sweets, and lots of gossip, which was Stella's favorite part. Of course we talked about the guys, especially Matt. Everyone was surprised when I told them how our conversation went, but I assured them that it was alright and that I was cool with it. Even though they weren't convinced, they began to grow tired and headed off to bed. I followed their lead and slipped into my bed. However, once I heard Bloom snoring across from me, I knew I was safe. I quickly changed back into my regular clothes and sat on my balcony, waiting for the mysterious note person to come. I began to feel the night breeze trying to lift me into the air, but a quiet humming sound distracted it. My stomach clenched tightly as I saw a wind-rider coming towards me. Once I saw it, I knew exactly who it was.

"You came."

"Well, you asked me to," I replied, pulling out the note from my pocket, "By the way Matt, did Helia teach this to you?" Matt chuckled as he passed me a spare helmet.

"Get on. I'm gonna take you somewhere." I looked at the helmet, recognizing it as the one Matt threw at me when we were formally introduced. With a smile and shrug, I got onto the wind-rider, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Thank you for not throwing my helmet at me this time," I said as he began to start the engines.

"You welcome." With that, we drove off into the night, over the Alfea gates and over the trees of the Magix forest. I noticed Black Mud Swamp and Pixi Village, but as my eyes scanned over the many spots of green trees and dark blue waters, I realized that there're many places I haven't explored yet. After a while, I noticed Matt driving lower towards the ground, ending my aerial view of the forest and heading straight towards something. Eventually he began to slow down, and once the vehicle completely stopped, we took of our helmets.

"Go on," he encouraged, "Get off and take the first look." I gave him a questioning look as I slid off the bike and faced forward. I felt the wind being knocked out of me because of the beautiful sight before my eyes. A large lake shimmered a bright blue even at the dead of night. It sparkled as if the sun or moon was shining on it. Under the waters of the lake were shallow stoned floors that fell deeper into the lake at random spots. But the most captivating beauty was the waterfall that probably created this lake and made every shallow stoned step like miniature waterfalls.

"Oh my god," was all I could say, "Oh my god oh my god oh my god!"

"Do you like it?" I spun around and took a deep breath of the fresh, crisp air.

"Like it? I love it! I can feel the wind spirits are more pleased here than anywhere else in Magix."

"I'm glad you think so." He jumped off his wind-rider and stood by me. "This place is something."

"Does it have a name?"

"Of course it does. Every place has a name."

"Then what is it." Matt gave me a sly smile and said, "This place is one of the purest spots in the realm of Magix. That's why it sparkles this brightly even when the moon or sun isn't out. Plus this lake holds many secrets that only those worthy and pure enough can retrieve."

"Okay," I interrupted, "And because of all these great qualities, it's called…?"

"The Lake of Wonders."

"The Lake of Wonders," I repeated, trying to fit the name with this beautiful place, "It sounds a bit…odd, don't you think?"

"How so?"

"'The Lake of Wonders' sounds a lot like-"

"The Cave of Wonders."

"Yeah."

"That's and old Earth tale."

"I thought so…but how did you know?" Matt shrugged his shoulders.

"Sky's girlfriend lent him a book about it and he shared it with us. Cool story actually."

"It is. When Dad and I completed our Earth studies, we agreed that their fairytale interpretations were the most interesting things they created."

"Impressive." I smiled at him as I continued to stare at the scenery. We were quiet for a while before he asked, "So how is it that my hand is completely healed?" I felt an electric chill run up my spine and back down.

"Why're you asking me?" I asked, turning my head a bit away from the scenery and away from him.

"Because when I woke up you were right next to me."

"Well it's like I said earlier: You risked yourself for a person you didn't know."

"So you had nothing to do with my rescue?"

"Of course not!"

"Then how did your hair grow so long?" I felt my blood freeze. Slowly, I ran my fingers through my hair and measured that he was right. _I got so caught up in the fight and his note that I totally forgot about it! Shit!_

"Th-that's easy," I stuttered, "I told you before that I did black magic. Well, when I conjured it to save everyone else it took a lot of negative energy and that causes magic to flow through me at a fast rate. That's why my hair grew. Because of the magic rushing through me."

"So did you use any black magic to heal me?"

"I tried, but I haven't learned enough yet. Sorry." He shook his head and examined his hand.

"I was sorta hoping that you'd know." I started back at the water and sighed.

"I wish I could help." With that, he suggested that we returned me to Alfea and as usual, we were quiet the rest of the way.

"Thanks for showing me that spot," I replied, sliding off his bike.

"No problem. Thought you'd be interested in it." I felt my heart skipping a beat when I asked why. "You mention wind spirits. That's not something a normal fairy can do, even a warrior one. Her magic has to be the purest that the universe has to offer."

"How do you know all this?"

"I do my research. Anyway, I gotta go." I watched as Matt slid off his back walked towards me and placed his lips on mine. They were warm and I could hear my blood rushing past them. As quickly as they arrived, he removed them and said "See ya, Scar." He jumped on his bike and drove away into the night.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Anger Leads to the Truth

Fury: (Bows and rises, the Trix behind her) Master Cian, we were able to obtain the blood of a specialist. (Draws sword) I was aiming for Scarlet, but he stood in the way.

Cian: (smiling wickedly) That's alright, Fury, just pass me your blade. (She hands him the blade. He holds it with one hand and raises his free hand over the tip, which is facing upwards) Every vampire has some special ability, no matter how big or small. (The little pool of blood rises through the blade, seeping through the tip) I wonder if Scarlet's power is stronger than we think. (Once all of the blood's out off the blade, he hands it back to Fury) You say that this came from a specialist?

Fury: Yes sir.

Cian: Then I can have fun with this. Continue on obtaining blood. By having at least a sample of each I can create an army stronger than silent-takers.

Stormy: An army stronger than those? They don't seem that impressive.

Cian: Dear Stormy, you are mistaken. Silent-takers merely suck the blood and magic from any creature. However they do not keep it. From their blood I feast and from their magic I obtain.

Darcy: Are you able to keep the magic?

Cian: Patience, Darcy. A Vampire sorcerer does not reveal his tricks.

Icy: But leaving us in the dark will only drive us away. How do we know to trust you?

Cian: You don't. After all, I'm a vampire and vampires are not to be trusted.

Fury: And yet we all still follow.

Icy: (grins evilly) How manipulative.

[Now at Alfea…]

"SCARLET!" I jumped out of my seat, nearly falling over from Stella's voice.

"What is it, Stella?"

"What's wrong with you? You've been spacing out like crazy for the past week!" I placed my hand on my forehead and sighed.

"It's nothing, Stella, really."

"Is everything okay?" Bloom asked, "Because you know that you can talk to us about anything."

"I know I can." She sat on my desk and the whole club was listening. Thankfully, Professor Avalon entered the classroom, causing the class to quiet down.

"I don't care if he tried to kill us once," Stella replied, "He's still majorly hot!"

"But that was a different professor Avalon," Tecna corrected, "That Avalon was an impersonator." Stella stuck out her tongue as the professor cleared his throat.

"Please settle down girls. I just wanted to let you know that trimester one is ending soon and to make sure you girls are ready."

"Ready for what, professor?" One of the girls asked.

"Why for your trimester exams, of course." We all groaned as some girls hit their heads on the table. "Now now, girls, don't seem so gloom about this. This exam is going to test your first stage as a fairy to the fullest. It's not so much as a percentage grade, but a passing one." The class groaned more to this. "But I'm sure you girls are capable of this since you've done it once before." I shook my head and hid my smile as the class continued to groan.

_Poor professor. He really means no harm_.

"Anyway," He said, raising his hands to settle down the class. "No matter what happens, I'm sure you girls will do well." And with that he began his class. Although Avalon's class is one of my all time favorite classes, I couldn't focus. After that night that Matt kissed me, I got into a fight with Luna because she didn't trust him. _I guess I can understand that because of the way he sometimes treats me, but Riven sometimes does the same thing to Musa. And those two are pretty close._ My mind continued to wander through my crazy emotions until class ended. Again, Stella had to shout for my attention.

"That's it!" She shouted, grabbing my hand by the wrist and dragging me outside on campus, "You're telling us what's on your mind right now!"

"Stella, relax, will you," Tecna commanded as Stella began to pout. She ignored her pouting and focused on me. "We all know that there's something on your mind, but you don't have to tell us now if you're not comfortable with it." I couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks Tecna. A lot's been happening and with the New Moon coming up I still have to find that spell to keep you up all night."

"Wow, time flies by fast," Layla pointed out, "And this time, no running off to fight the specialists in order to avoid us."

"I promise I won't." I turned my head to look at the east wing that was destroyed during the last battle and thought about Aquila. If I wasn't freaking out about Matt's kiss, it was my parents I was worried about.

"Does it at least have to do with Matt?" Stella asked through her teeth. With a sigh I answered, "He kissed me."

"WHAT?" I couldn't help but shudder under the loud sound affect caused by the Winx.

"He kissed you?" Flora repeated, "When? How? Was it fast? Was it gentle? Was it-" Layla placed her hand over Flora's mouth and waited until I had answered her questions to let her go.

"The night after our battle. By placing his lips over mine. It was pretty quick, but it didn't feel that way. And yes it was gentle." Layla removed her hand and Flora came running towards me, her arms wide open.

"Oh Scarlet, I'm so happy for you!" Once she locked me in a hug, she sighed in relief. "I hope that you feel more secure being here with us and the specialists." I couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, Flora, I do."

"So the little tramp wants to get with our Scarlet, huh?" Stella said in a scheming like voice. "How's Riven gonna react?" Musa shook her head.

"No idea. But I've got the feeling that he's not gonna like it."

"What about the other specialists," Tecna added, "Will they be okay with having young love sprouting within the group?"

"We all had to start somewhere, darling." We all rolled our eyes at Stella as she continued on, "This is great! The witches are at bay, Matt's crushing on Scarlet, school's giving us senior privileges, everything's perfect!"

"Well I say that we use our free time to look up that all nighter spell," Bloom suggested, "If the night of the New Moon's approaching then we must be ready."

[Meanwhile, at Red Fountain…]

(Matt's reading his book in a tree.)

Helia: Hey Matt.

Matt: (looking away from his book) Hey.

Helia: (examines Matt's face) I'm guessing you haven't heard from her.

Matt: (tries to go back to his reading) Nope.

Helia: I hope that you don't think it's because she's not interested.

Matt: I know she is…but she could've called.

Helia: You know, if you're eager to talk to her, you could call.

Matt: (forces out a laugh) Oh Helia, out of all of the specialists at Red Fountain, you know how to approach these kinds of things.

Helia: Glad I can be of service.

Matt: Well you're way more useful than my cousin is. He just doesn't get girls, even his own.

Helia: (laughs) So is Scarlet the only thing on your mind? (Matt shakes his head) I see. Anything I can help with?

Matt: (Closes his book and examines his once injured hand) I dunno. I feel like I'm missing something.

Helia: You did lose some blood fighting that witch.

Matt: Yeah. I still don't know how it healed. I asked Scarlet and she said she doesn't know. And have you noticed that her hair was really long all of a sudden? (Helia shrugs) She says it's because of the magic within her when it reaches its max. I dunno, something's weird.

Helia: Well if it's more than Scarlet, then maybe it's something you should discuss with the team.

Matt: Maybe. I guess I just feel that something strange and unusual is gonna happen here.

Helia: When does something strange and unusual not happen here?

Matt: True, but this…this Cian guy. The witches and their weapons, blood being spilt constantly. Something's happening. I can feel it.

[Back at Alfea…]

"Come on, Luna, this is love that's growing."

"She's my fairy, Amore, so I know when there's something wrong here."

"But you can't stop love if it's destined to be."

"What about Jeremy and Scarlet? Isn't she being unfair in liking two guys."

"Arguably Jeremy's passed on. And he would want Scarlet to love again."

"He would at least want her to put time aside out of respect for the dead!"

"All this shouting is very inappropriate."

"BE QUIET, TUNE!" Tune flicked her nose in the air and headed towards Musa.

"I don't know how those girls are able to have well rounded fairies when they're so immature."

"That's just how they are." Musa turned to me, who wasn't doing so well at the moment.

"I don't like being talked about when I'm right here."

"No one does," Bloom adds, "But on a different note, any luck with those spells?" I stood up from my chair and headed towards my spell books near my bed. I picked up three books each marked for wanted spells and brought them towards our common room.

"Wow, those books look older than I remember," Layla commented as she took the top one, flipping through the pages to the few marked ones. "Do you think any of these will help us?"

"I think so," I answered, "However, because I couldn't find a distinct spell to stay awake through the night, I thought that maybe these different energy spells will help us out."

"But why'd you mark so many?" Tecna asked

"None of these spells will work on all of us as a whole."

"Are you sure? It seems illogical to choose different spells for us. What if one runs out sooner than the others?"

"That's why we're all gonna pick a spell that we believe suites us best. That way, we can enhance it with our powers to give us the kind of ideal spell we need to stay awake."

"Now that makes more sense."

"Thank you, Tecna."

"Is there a spell in there can make me still look beautiful and well rested, even though I haven't slept all night?" Stella asked.

"Like this one?" Musa asked. She lowered the book down and pointed to a spell that I wasn't familiar with. "It says that it keeps one's face young and beautiful even if they haven't slept for a while."

"Sounds like my kinda spell!"

"But that spell only focuses on your beauty," Layla pointed out, "It doesn't help with the fact that you'll be able to stay awake."

"I'VE GOT IT!" We all turned to Flora, who had a confident smile on her face. "What if I was able to create a potion that combined all these spells founded?"

"Isn't that difficult?" I asked. I was good at performing spells, but never good at creating potions for one.

"Not really. I love my little chemistry kit and I haven't used it in a while. A chance like this is perfect."

"So what sorta spells do you need?" Bloom asked, already looking through some books.

"Well for Stella's sake let's take the beauty one." I heard Stella mumble a victory yes under breath as Flora continued. "And the spell I saw earlier giving a person a number of extra hours to stay awake. Also the energy booster one is good. I could also…" I stepped back as Flora searched through the books to find the right spells and watched. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Since I was the closest, I went to get it. When I did, I recognized the pointy glasses.

"Girls." Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to face Griselda. "No reason to be alarmed, I just need to borrow Scarlet. The headmistress would like to see her." I looked back at my friends, who didn't like the idea of me being summoned alone.

"It's alright girls. I'll be back soon." With that I followed Griselda to Faragonda's office.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"There's nothing to worry about," she answered, "But I think it's best if you heard everything from Ms. Faragonda instead." I kept my mouth closed in silence until we arrived. Faragonda was looking through her mirror when we entered. She had a stern look on her face, but once she saw me, her kind smile took over.

"Ah, Scarlet, just the girl I wanted to see."

"Really?" She nodded.

"I've got some news for you from Aquila." My heart beat suddenly quickened.

"You…you got through the barrier?" I asked cautiously.

"Yes. However, it wasn't easy. I needed Saladin and Griffin's help, but we managed to break off a piece of the barrier."

"Can I talk to my parents?" I eagerly asked. Faragonda's smile disappeared and she faced her mirror again.

"I didn't think that I should show you this, but you are a strong warrior and have seen the worst in a battle." She leisurely drew a circle with her hand and the mirror began to glow. "Come here, Scarlet," she said, moving away from the mirror to make room for me. I walked toward it slowly, not taking my eyes off of her. With a nod from Faragonda, I turned my head to look into the mirror and held my breath.

The sky was full of dark clouds as pink lightning randomly struck down. Homes were in ruins as the mirror showed me destroyed mountains, dead winds, and bodies of dead people. So much blood was spilt on the once beautiful land of Aquila. Some of the people lying dead were people I knew. The parents of Celia and Lucientia were torn into shreds to the point when I couldn't even recognize them at first glance. As the mirror continued to travel through familiar parts of my planet, I took a deep breath when it stumbled upon the castle. The castle of Princess Kayla, the future ruler of Aquila, was torn down into nothing but broken stone. Pieces of the castle had fallen off the floating mountain and landed deep into Aquila's now dead soil. My heart sank with worry and guilt. _I wasn't there to protect her. I wasn't there to help_. The mirror guided me throughout the corridors and rooms to see nothing different. I recognized the bodies of the brave soldiers who gave up their lives to the King, Queen, and Princess. I lowered my head to honor them.

The mirror then showed me one last place that I knew would come eventually. Not far from the palace was my house…or what was once my house. Completely shatter while pages torn from books were soaking up blood…my parent's blood. I saw handprints and shoe markings and followed the trails of where they ran too. The mirror followed their tracks into my room. My room. My beautiful room and balcony was…how else could I describe it? The balcony was shattered and my room ripped apart. Just like the rest of my planet. However, I couldn't find mom and dad. My vision began to fog as my throat stung with shock. My hands closed tightly into fists as I tried to hold back my tears. No sign of my parents, my people were dead, so much blood, so much pain, so much anger. My body began to tremble as I felt something dripping down my fists. The smell was intoxicating and I refused to hold back. My black hair suddenly fell over my face. My fangs grew faster than ever. My blood boiled as I heard only my heart beating faster and faster, seeking for revenge. This feeling…it felt so familiar to me…like I knew this much power was within me all along. The destroyed world of Aquila slowly vanished along with whatever was around me. The tremble in my body became like an earthquake and my blood began to prick me under my skin. Negative energy began to seep through my body as I felt wings tearing through my skin on my back and my clothes changing into something else. I didn't care.

If Cian wants a fight, then he'll get one.

I quickly threw myself towards the window and began to fly.

[Meanwhile, with the Winx Club…]

Flora: I wonder why Faragonda wants to see Scarlet alone.

Bloom: Well it can't be about her vampire form, that's for sure.

Tecna: It might have to do with her home planet. It's the most logical explanation.

Digit: That's affirmative. Aquila's in a lock down and Faragonda, Saladin, and Griffin were trying to weaken it.

Luna: How're you so sure, Digit?

Digit: Because Tecna and I know how to handle barriers and Faragonda probably needs to break it in order to see if Scarlet's planet is alright.

Layla: Plus it would help us understand what Cian is after. It's possible that it could be Scarlet's father since he's a pure vampire.

Stella: Look, I know we're upset about not knowing what's going on, but if it's about Scarlet's home planet, then it makes sense that only she's called. I know that I would wanna be the first to know if anything were to happen to Solaria.

Musa: If you're thinking about what happened last year, you've got nothing to worry about. Your dad created a new law saying that there's only one king, one queen, and one princess of Solaria. And even through a new marriage that can never change.

Tecna: That's true. Now your mother and father have power of Solaria, even though they're not together. No one can marry either one and take their power away, and no one else can be princess because there's only one Stella.

Stella: I know girls. It's just that…when I heard the news through other people, I wasn't very pleased with it. So let's let Scarlet be. I'm sure she'll tell us everything when she gets back.

(Luna groans and falls to the ground. The Pixis huddle around her.)

Chatta: Luna, are you alright?

Luna: Yeah, I just- (passes out again)

Lockette: Something's not right. Luna must be sick.

Tune: We should give her some space. It's not polite to huddle around a sick pixi.

Amore: (gasps) Look at her clothes. (Everyone watches as her white shirt and boots turn to black)

Layla: That happens whenever Scarlet transforms into her vampire winx form.

Bloom: Something must have happened.

Luna: Scarlet's heart is filled with so much negative energy. It's something I've never felt of before.

(Sounds of glass breaking from outside)

Flora: (Runs to the window) It's Scarlet! (Everyone runs towards the window) But her wings…They're huge!

Stella: But that's not possible. Her vampire winx is suppose to match her fairy winx. The wings are a total unbalance.

Musa: Ohmygod! What happened to her?

Bloom: I dunno, but I've got a bad feeling about this.

Winx: Magic Winx!

[So what happened?...]

A faint breeze brushed against my cheek as I heard gentle music in my ears. My breathing was deep and my body was as light as air. Something cool and wet hit my forehead, a drop of it trickling down my temple. The music, the wind, the drop, slowly my senses began to awaken and my body began to feel again.

"I think she's waking up," said a sweet familiar voice. The beautiful music stopped as another one spoke.

"Does she look alright?"

"Don't crowd her," replied a third, "She might be a bit confused."

"Confused about…what?" I asked weakly. I slowly opened my eyes to see Flora, Layla, and Musa surrounding the bed. They all turned to me with smiles on their faces.

"How're you feeling?" Flora asked. The washcloth on my forehead began to slide down my face as I tried to sit up.

"A little sore, oddly enough. And-" I suddenly felt dizzy and placed my head in my hands. "Why am I so weak?" That was when I noticed long strands of black hair blowing in the breeze besides me. "Why am I in my vampire form?" The three looked at one another as I heard footsteps enter the room.

"She's up," I heard Tecna say.

"Good, because I've got a score to settle with her!" Stella stormed towards the foot of the bed and stared me down. "You need a good excuse for what you did!"

"Stella, what're you talking about?" She pointed towards her face. "I see nothing." She pouted and turned her head to my left, still pointing. "Stella, I don't get it."

"You scarred me!"

"What?" Stella traced probably the faintest lines across her left cheek. "It'll go away, Stella. It's a light scratch."

"No it's not! You completely slashed me with that stupid sword and it hurt!"

"What sword? Stella, I don't get it!"

"My, this is a lot of noise coming from a wounded patient." We all faced the doorway where Faragonda stood with a smile.

"Stella started it," I mumbled.

"To be quite fair, Scarlet, because you caused the slash across her face, she started to yell," Tecna pointed out, "So theoretically, you started it."

"Started what?"

"You mean you don't remember?" Bloom asked in confusion.

"No, I don't," I answered, "Would someone be kind enough to tell me?"

"Well you did give us quite a scare," Faragonda added, "But I'll explain dear. When I showed you your home planet, you were very angry."

"Aquila?" I thought for a moment and remembered the rubble, the bodies, and the blood. My eyes closed in the memory as tears began to run down my cheeks.

"Now this was the reaction I was expecting. However you refused to show any emotion and kept it all bottled up inside."

"I wasn't at home to protect the princess and her people. I failed as a warrior. Because I wasn't there, my planet's destroyed."

"Oh Scarlet! You being there or not had nothing to do with Aquila being held hostage. If you were there, you would have been killed. Just like everyone else."

"Everyone else." I repeated. "I'd be with my parents if I had died there." Faragonda paused for a minute before continuing on with the story.

"Anyway, when you became angry, your magic began to fill with negative energy, which-"

"-then caused you to transform." We all looked to see Ms. Griffin walking in. "And I've never seen such power. Such negative energy and dark magic was pouring out of you. You're lucky to have even survived."

"It's difficult for fairies to handle dark magic," Flora pointed out, "And although you've been practicing, the energy coming from you was something we've never sensed before."

"It was weird," Tecna second, "Even my computer fails to find out what type of energy it was."

"The energy that was pouring out of Scarlet is something you're not going to find anywhere," Griffin said.

"Then what is it?" I asked impatiently.

"It is the energy that a pure, full-blooded vampire posses."

"What?" We all said in unison.

"But Scarlet's only half vampire," Layla replied.

"True. But did she have the strength of only a half vampire?" Ms. Griffin asked. Layla opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She instead placed her hand across her chest onto her shoulder. I looked at every Winx and noticed how they all touched a part of themselves as if remembering how they lost it. Flora held both her wrists close to her chest, staring down at them lost in thought. Tecna rubbed her head gently, wincing every now and then while Bloom sat down. She kept on bending her back and sighing, as if pretending her pain wasn't there wasn't gonna help it go away. Musa wrapped one hand around her throat. I saw her turn away from me to face the window while her grip of her flute in the other hand grew tighter.

"Girls, Professors, what happened."

"I already told you, Scarlet," Griffin reminded me, "You became a pure, full-blooded vampire."

_Did she have to repeat the phrase again?_

"How?"

"Simple. You've kept all your negative energy stored away except for whenever you were using dark magic spells. And even then you were still suppressing that power. Eventually, the pressure began to build without you noticing and once it was built to the fullest, your negative energy exploded."

"So it's a onetime thing, right?" I asked, "I just have to not let the energy build and everything's back to normal, right?"

"Not necessarily," Faragonda said, "Scarlet, what Ms. Griffin's trying to say is that although you're still only half vampire, you have the power and strength of a full one."

"But I've never had that power before, so why now?"

"Scarlet, please calm down," Flora whispered.

"No!" Everyone looked at me in fear all of a sudden. Every pair of eyes that were on me were terrified of me. "Why're you guys looking at me like that?"

"You flew out of a window Scarlet," Ms. Griffin replied, "You transformed into your normal vampire form, but your wings were massive. You flew out of a window and began to leave. Faragonda tried stopping you and you began to fight her. Your friends were able to get to her and help, however they suffered greatly as they fought against you."

"What? Y-you can't be telling me that I actually fought against my friends."

"You weren't yourself, Scarlet," Musa said, "I felt it, we all did! You were not yourself."

"That's right," Layla seconded, "You were so full of negative energy that we couldn't find the spirit that we were connected to."

"It was like you were unconscious."

"She was, Tecna," Ms. Griffin added, "Scarlet's conscious was taken over because the power was too overwhelming. I feel that it was as if her vampire instincts were taking over and controlling her."

"But that's impossible!" I shouted, "My powers don't control me!"

"And they never will," Faragonda assured, "So long as you practice them evenly and enough, you will never have to face that type of power again." I looked over to my friends and vaguely pointed to each one of them.

"So I basically tried to kill you because you were in the way."

"Scarlet, please don't be upset," Bloom replied.

"Upset? I'm furious! I'm a monster! A complete monster out to kill!"

"NO YOU'RE NOT!" We all faced the doorway once more to see the pixies flying in with Luna in the lead. She crashed into me as usual and sobbed, "You're not a monster! You'll never BE a monster! This isn't a bad thing! And don't you DARE ever scare me like that EVER again!" I felt my heart fill with so much emotion that I couldn't help but cry too. I couldn't help it! It was like watching a puppy cry in the pouring rain, crying for someone to take it home (which I totally would, by the way). Luna crying did that to me.

Suddenly, I felt arms being thrown and wrapped around me, holding me tight as if to never let me go.

"Don't you dare think of leaving!" Musa added.

"That's right!" Flora said, "We're gonna help you through this."

"And we need our seventh winx girl to make us fight at our best," Bloom pointed out, "Just think about the spells we could learn from you and your vampire self. That combined with fairy magic, we'll be able to stop Cian and the witches' evil scheme."

"There're the guys to consider too," Tecna mentioned, "Who's gonna fight with them and kick their asses?" We all looked at Tecna, surprised by her choice of words. "And there's Matt to consider. You can't leave him when he's finally made his move on you." There was a pause before Stella turned to me and said,

"I forgive you for scarring my beautiful face. It made Tecna say things we've been all dying to hear from her." Everyone laughed as I stared at my hands. They were wrapped up tightly with no blood seeping through.

Blood.

_Shit…I'm still in vampire form…and I'm really thirsty…_ Acting on instinct, I began to unwrap my left hand.

"No you don't," I heard Flora say as she placed her hand over mine, "I've created something that'll help you with you thirst problem." She pulled out a bottle full of a scarlet color liquid that made my mouth water. "This is something I found in your books. It's blood from a rare vampire plant that sucks the blood of insects."

"Yuck!" Stella replied while making a face, "Even though I hate the thought of drinking blood in general the thought of drinking insects'…EW!"

"It's not from the insects, Stella, but from the plant. It's also sucked the blood of people while sleeping and preserved it separately from the blood of other creatures."

"Why's that? Tecna asked.

"Because we fairies and witches and other creatures are a rare case for these plants."

"What're they called?"

"Floro Vapians."

"That's odd," Bloom mumbled, "Sounds like Homo sapiens for people back on earth." We all turned to her in confusion. I only knew a little about the term "Homo sapiens", but I still hadn't fully grasped its understanding yet.

"Anyway," Flora continued, "With this, you can drink as much as you need rather than drinking from your own blood. Plus I did research and discovered that this has more vitamins for a vampire than regular blood from people." I couldn't help but laugh. "It's true though."

"I'm not laughing at the fact that you're wrong, but that you actually researched it."

"What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to hurt yourself to fulfill your needs. You can just drink this instead." She grabbed an empty glass from the nightstand next to my bed and poured me a glass. Once she passed it to me, I didn't hesitate to drink it. The whole room was watching me drink a glass a blood…that didn't make me feel very good.

"Do you like it?" Flora asked with a hopeful smile. I paused before answering her question, examining the new taste in my mouth. Definitely fruitier than I'm used to, sort of like berries. My eyes grew wide open. All my life I've been only drinking my blood and have gotten used to the taste to the point when it's nothing more than sweet syrup. When I nodded, Flora threw her arms in the air and cheered.

"Yes! I did it!" She poured me another glass and watched me drink it again.

"I know you're all happy, Flora," Stella commented, "But it's really nasty watching her drink…blood." The room fell silent for what felt like painful hours (when it was actually minutes) as I placed my second empty glass of blood on the bedside. I felt my body temperature rising from the embarrassment of my friends and professors observing me as I drink…_They must be disgusted by watching me._

"Now Scarlet," Griffin said, grabbing my attention, "Because of these new powers growing within you, I suggest that we change our meeting schedule."

"How much is it gonna change?" I asked, obviously sounding disappointed and beyond embarrassed.

"Not only do I want to see you on the night of the new moon, but I would like to see you three times a week."

"What?" The girls said. I didn't make a sound as the girls shouted against it.

"Scarlet can't do that," Bloom protested, "She has to stay here with us to study."

"And she'll really become weaker by not resting enough," Flora pointed out.

"Plus she'll fall way behind in her studies," Tecna added, "And since she's learning a lot of this for the first time, it's gonna be harder for her to catch up."

"Unfortunately girls, this isn't up for discussion." I noticed the girls lowering their heads in disappointment. "Scarlet must see me three times a week. Because I have classes of my own, I can only train her at night." She then turned to me, raising her hand slightly as if making a point. "Plus, it'll be easier to practice when the sun's not burning your eyes, especially since some of our lessons will take place outside."

"Well if Scarlet's going three times a week, then we're going to," Bloom announced.

"Seriously?" Stella shouted, "It's one thing to skip one night a month to go with her, but three nights?"

"You don't have to come with us, Stella," Layla mentioned, "You can stay at Alfea while we're practicing with Scarlet." She looked around at the Winx Club and added, "Plus, two years ago we weren't able to learn how to over-come the negative energy that mixed in with our magic while we were staying at Cloud Tower, and that allowed the trix get the Codex. I say we use this opportunity to strengthen our winx power by going to Cloud Tower with Scarlet."

"That is a good point," Griffin replied, "You girls were not able to work together under the conditions and presence of dark magic. And since Cian is a vampire, the magic around him will be darker and more powerful than you'll ever face at Cloud Tower." She turned to Faragonda. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea as well. The girls can learn how to help Scarlet if something like this were to occur again."

"So Stella," Musa said, "If you wanna learn how to protect your face from Scarlet's blade, then you might want to consider joining us."

"Girls." Everyone's eyes fell upon me. "Thank you, but I don't want to put you in danger again. I still don't know how I hurt you, but I would never want to do that to you again." I felt more tears gathering in my eyes. "I guess…I'm still a monster if I can't even control my own powers."

"Scarlet-" Tecna grabbed Musa shoulder and shook her head.

"She's not going to register our statements if we keep reminding her. She's going to need proof that she isn't a monster."

"That's right," Bloom second. She faced me and placed her hand on my shoulder. "You may not believe us, but we're going to prove to you that you're not a monster."

"Sounds like someone's picking up the habits of a certain someone?" Stella mentioned coyly, "Now that gives me more of a reason to join!"

"Is match making the only thing that makes you wanna help people?" Layla asked.

"Love is the most wonderful thing a person can have," Amore replied.

"That's right, my darling pixi." Stella moved closer to me and grabbed my bandaged up hands. "Although we don't have normal problems like boys and tests, that doesn't mean that we don't think about them." I gave her a confusing look as she continued, "Problems like controlling your vampire-self and defeating Cian is going to take time and patience. However, we all know you have a specialist on your mind and that problem we can definitely fix."

"Stella's got a point there," Bloom said, "It's bad enough that you've got a planet to worry about as well. Let us help you with that burden and solve the minor problems that we have the power to fix."

"Alright girls," Faragonda interrupted, "Let's give Scarlet some space. She should feel better in the morning." The Winx and their pixies hesitated before leaving. "Rest up Scarlet." With that, she closed the door.

"Do you wanna talk?" Luna asked me. I took a deep breath and stared at my hands.

"Luna, what did I do?" Luna paused before flying in front of me with her folded across one another.

"When you transformed, I did as well. The negative energy that was flowing through your body was something I've never felt before. It was deathly, but at the same time it was as if you had that power all along. Anyway, because we're bonded, I knew what you were thinking and what you did." She paused as I nodded for her to continue.

"You tried to kill Ms. Faragonda. You created a sword like your silver one, but the blade was scarlet red and the handle was navy blue. The gem was still there, but still…this new sword was powerful. The girls came to help, but you attacked Stella by cutting her face. It was a deep cut. One by one you hurt the winx: With your Ribbon Strike you sliced up and damaged Flora's wrists. You also used the ribbon to strangle Musa. When Bloom and Tecna worked together to stop you, you threw them back with some force and damaged Tecna's head and Bloom's back. With Layla, you manipulated her into thinking she was all alone, allowing you the chance to strike her at the shoulders."

"How was I stopped?"

"Ms. Griffin came and used an ancient spell to drain your energy. You then fell…landing on your lower neck and shoulders first. That's why you're so sore."

"Is that so?" I whispered more as a statement than a question.

"You weren't yourself Scarlet," Luna assured, "Really, you would never-"

"Riven's right. Even though I don't mean it, I still have the power of a monster." Luna tried to talk against me, but I shook my head and she sighed. I pulled the covers over my head and felt tears (yet again) pouring out of my eyes. Slowly, I cried myself to sleep.

[Outside the Heath Center's doors…]

Faragonda: Well I didn't expect that to happen.

Griffin: None of us did.

Faragonda: Ms. Griffin, I'm not an expertise on vampires or dark magic, but I'm guessing that what happened today revealed something…something important.

(The two leave the doors and head towards Faragonda's office)

Grififn: I'm afraid it did. I don't know how, but Scarlet has proven to us today that she's not half vampire half fairy.

Faragonda: Quite right. So then it's safe to say that…

Griffin: No, it's not. Although I'm positive that she is, only my training with her can tell whether or not Scarlet Avila is a full, pure-blooded vampire.

[Meanwhile…]

Cian: Witches! Come here at once!

(the four witches appear)

Witches: Yes, Master Cian.

Cian: We must act now! I sense it! The power of vengeance and anger! The power of spilt blood! Her powers are awakening! I must have her!

Icy: We already understood that. So should we continue to take the blood of the others or just focus on Scarlet?

Cian: Yes. They're blood's essential. With the two blood samples I have, I've been able to experiment with them, learning how they can aid us in our future encounters. As I mentioned earlier, I believe that these can be used for the Silent-takers to track down the other specialists and fairies faster. Then, as I obtain the other blood samples, combined with the two I have, we can create the perfect army to defeat those pesky creatures.

Darcy: When do we next leave?

Cian: As soon as possible! We cannot delay.

Stormy: Then prepare yourself for a whole bucket of blood.

Fury: We will not fail you.

Cian: Go! (the witches disappear He faces through a window of his room and smiles.) With the royal family, the head advisor, and the Lady warrior of Aquila's army held hostage, I will soon know the weakness of Scarlet Avila's powers so I can take them for my own! (pauses) It's possible that the girl I killed years ago wasn't the right one after all…(Examines the two viles of blood) Scarlet Avila, I wonder if you have any idea what power you possess.


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey readers! Sorry this took so long to post. I'm doing my best to keep things in order, yet there's so much i wanna write about. Thanks for reading and reviewing! They help me (oddly enough) when i have writer's block. Anyway, Here's chapter 12!_

Chapter 12: Mysterious Magic

A familiar song echoed in my ears. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed that I was surrounded by a slivery mist. A gentle breezed brushed against me, causing my long, black hair to fly. _I guess I'm still in my vampire form._ I looked at my clothes and noticed my vampire winx outfit was on me. _Why…why must I remain a monster…?_

The familiar song grew louder, begging me to follow. Cautiously, I flew towards it, not knowing where I was going or what was ahead. Eventually, the silver mist cleared and revealed to me the Lake of Wonders. It was dark outside, but the water still shown as if it was day. The fresh air wrapped itself around me, gently pushing me closer to water, leading me towards the music. As I got closer, I noticed something, or rather someone was sitting above the water. Their legs were folded across as they were playing the ancient song of the wind spirits of Magix. _Funny, I thought that I was the only one who knew that song._

I continue to approach the mystery person until they stopped playing the song. At that point I realized that the person was a girl with wavy long blonde hair that was flying on the same wind my hair was flying on. I noticed that she had on a pink halter top and a light green skirt with purple lining. _Is she an Alfea student? A Cloud Tower student? Someone? _She slowly turned her head towards me and smiled, her black eyes glittering from the water's glow. My heart thumped loudly, longing to move closer as if she was a long lost friend. Slowly, I began to approach her further, not taking my eyes off her. _She's not Celia or Lucentia. So…why do I feel like she's someone I've lost…but have finally found?_ A bright light began to wrap around her and the wind surrounded us both. I covered my eyes and shouted…

"Wait!"

I shot up from lying down taking shallow breaths. Sweat was forming and sticking my night gown to my back. My long black hair was clinging to my face. I was panting and looked around.

"The…infirmary?"

"Scarlet?" I looked down to my right and noticed Luna rubbing her eyes. Her shirt and boots turned back into their white color. _Guess I'm not in my vampire form anymore._ My eyes fell upon the bottle that Flora left, which was full of blood on my bedside, and next to it was the empty, scarlet stained glass that I drank the blood from. My stomach tied itself into a knot as I plopped back down onto my pillow.

"It's nothing Luna. I'm fine." She didn't reply. I looked over and saw that she had fallen back asleep. As I watched my bonded pixi sleeping, I noticed that she reminded me of someone…but who? I thought about it for a while before falling back asleep myself.

[Meanwhile…still that night at Red Fountain…]

Tecna: It's just weird that suddenly Scarlet has the power of a full vampire. It doesn't make sense. It's illogical!

Timmy: Tec, I'm sure there's an explanation for it.

Tecna: My powers can't even detect what anything is anymore. It couldn't identify the silent-takers, the weird liquid around Matt's wound, Scarlet's negative energy, there's just so much! Maybe I'm not strong enough.

Timmy: You _are_ strong enough. Even more. It's just that there're more things out there that we don't know about yet.

Tecna: (sighs and places her head on Timmy's shoulder. He puts his arm around her and kisses her forehead) Oh Timmy, why's there so much out there that I don't know about? I can't even help Scarlet out with her vampire powers. We've been working together with the winx, but now they're developing? Is that possible?

Timmy: You're over-stressing yourself. If Scarlet were here she'd tell you that everything's alright. (He places his hand on her head and she winces) Sorry! Did I hurt you?

Tecna: No, it was from that battle with Vampire Scarlet. She threw me back and I hit my head pretty badly.

Timmy: She did what?

Tecna: She wasn't herself. According to Ms. Griffin her vampire self took over and attacked us. Sorta like when Bloom transformed into Dark Bloom. She wasn't herself…but that was because of Lord Darkar. This is because her negative energy was building. This could happen again.

Timmy: So the reason for her powers increasing was because of a negative energy overload?

Tecna: Basically. So now she has to go to Cloud Tower not only when there's a new moon, but three times a week as well.

Timmy: But this is good for her. If she can learn not to get overloaded, then there's a chance that she won't hurt you again.

Tecna: Well the Winx club's going. We need to learn how to bring her down if her negative energy takes over again. It's possible. It's also possible that Cian will do to her what Darkar did to Bloom!

Timmy: (Places his lips over Tecna's and leaves them there until he feels her body relaxing within his arm) Scarlet wouldn't want you to worry. (Gently touches the back of Tecna's head) But I'm not gonna lie, I wish she didn't hurt you as badly as she did. If this is something that's going to happen frequently, I'll be worrying about you a lot.

Tecna: (Pulling away from Timmy) Don't you dare start thinking that Scarlet's a monster. There's a logical explanation and a way to help her out. This vampire trait is a part of her and the Winx are gonna work with it. We've gotta learn and she'll teach us!

Timmy: (raising his hands shoulder height in his defense) I'm sorry Tec, I know she's not a bad person, but if she's a danger to you girls, especially you, then I have a right to be worried and to protect you, even if that means hurting her in return.

Tecna: Timmy, you're acting so illogical. She hid her secret from us to protect us. We're willing to put ourselves in danger if it's to help her!

Timmy: I understand. What you're saying and doing is logical…but Tec, we really don't know her that well. We've discovered that she's half vampire, we're okay with it, but now we hear she's got the strength of a full one? That worries me.

Tecna: You know what Timmy? Forget it! I'm heading back to Alfea! (She transforms and flies away).

Timmy: Tecna…I just don't wanna lose you again.

[Next day…]

A sudden bright light filled the room, which caused me to pull the covers over my head.

"Come on, sleepy head. Time to wake up!"

I didn't move.

"If you don't wake up, I'll call Brandon and ask him to bring Matt here. That way, Matt can see you in your nightgown, which (if I recall) doesn't cover up much."

Still didn't move.

"Ok then, Scalret Darling." I heard rustling and then the sound of buttons being pressed. A faint ringing was filling the room. "Hi Brandon, it's me. Listen, I'm having trouble getting Scarlet outta bed, so could you do me a favor by-"

"I'M UP!"

"Never mind! I love you!" Stella hung up the phone and placed her hands on her hips. "Now that you're up, let's wash you up and get ready."

"…Ready for what?" I asked groggily.

"We, the Winx Club, are going into Magix for a day of Shopping, relaxing, more shopping, eating, definitely shopping, more relaxing, and just hang out!"

"But I'm sleepy…" The way I said this was as if I was a five-year-old child whining about not going. Pathetic, I know. Stella grabbed my hand, pulled me out of bed, waved her free hand in the air and I suddenly found myself floating a few inches off the ground.

"Since you're not going to walk, I'll use my magic to carry you there." Before I could speak again, Stella started walking and (apparently) I was following. "Amore, take care of Luna, please."

"Will do, Stella!"

"This is embarrassing."

"Well you weren't willing to walk back to the room, so I decided to come get you instead."

"Why're we going into town, anyway?" I asked with a yawn escaping my mouth mid-sentence. "I should be preparing myself for working with Ms. Griffin."

"You're all fine and prepared." We reached the door to our room and Stella opened it while announcing, "I've got her!"

"You look exhausted," Flora commented, "Do you need an energy boosting spell?" Before I could answer, I felt dark magic stirring in the room. Flora had her hands outstretched in front of her; eyes closed, and recited, "Nove Chejoz." Suddenly, I felt myself suddenly becoming wide awake. Flora opened one eye followed by the other while lowering her hands.

"Did I do that wrong?" I slowly walked around and moved my whole body. I've used the energy boosting spell on myself a couple of times before, but this was the first time that someone else was casting it on me rather than myself.

"No…I actually think that you did the spell pretty well." She smiled in relief and placed a hand over her heart.

"Thank god. I've been practicing that for our all nighter potion."

"Flora, Dear, no discussion of anything school related."

"This isn't school related, Stella," Musa said.

"Technically, it is since it involves staying up for school."

"Exactly Tecna," Stella chimed as she faced me. "Now Scarlet, go wash up! If you're not ready in fifteen minutes we're comin' after you." Thanks to Flora's spell I was able to get ready pretty quickly. I grabbed my white tang-top, dark blue jean skirt, and hoped around the room while putting on my boots. The final touch was my hair. As I left my room to enter our bathroom, I heard Layla call my name.

"Why don't you leave your hair long this time? It seems like a tedious task to cut it every time you transform."

"Plus you're gonna be doing it a lot more because of Ms. Griffin's lessons," Bloom pointed out, "So why don't you keep it the way it is?"

"Because long hair is for my vampire-self and I wanna keep it that way." Before the girls could argue with me, I closed the bathroom door and cut it back to its shoulder length.

I was ready within fifteen minutes and we all took my wind current to Magix. Everyone had a lot of fun in it (as usual) and we landed in the park where no one could see us.

"I feel bad leaving the pixies behind," Flora mentioned as we headed towards a store.

"I think it's a good thing we did. They need some pixi time of their own," Musa replied, "Besides, this is a Winx Club day! It's just gonna be us girls hanging out around town!"

"Agreed!" Stella shouted, jumping and throwing her arms in the air, "And I say we hit my favorite store first!"

"Scarlet, do you have money on you?" Bloom asked. I thought for a minute before pulling out some Aquila coins out of my pocket.

"Thanks to Layla and Musa, I've got my money back. But does Magix accept Aquila currency?"

"Affirmative. They accept all types of currency from every realm, dimension, and planet. The reason for that is because of the schools around here. A lot of foreigners."

"Then I've got money to spend."

"Perfect!" Stella shouted, "Because there's gotta be some outfits that you can wear other than what you brought from Aquila and Inter-Realms. You're an Alfea girl now, and not just any Alfea girl, but a Winx girl! And we Winx girls must have fabulous clothing." Everyone teased Stella as I followed them to the mall.

"Scarlet, you seemed less than excited to hang out," Musa said while we were walking.

"I just feel horrible about what I did to you all yesterday. This whole time you've been defending me in saying I'm not a monster. But in truth…maybe…" A sudden slap hit my back and the burning sensation began to spread throughout my body.

"Don't say such things," Laya replied, "Do you ever listen to us when we tell you that all of this is beneficial to us? Like your sudden transformation. Now we can try to help control that by recycling the negative energy somehow."

"Yeah," Musa second, "And studying dark magic might be the key to defeating this new enemy. We'll be able to power up in no time!"

"Girls!" Stella shouted, "What did I say about discussing school work?" The three of us gave apologetic looks and continued on walking.

"Anyway, let's just have fun. We'll hit the CD shop next and you can buy the CD you wanted last time we were here."

"Thanks, Musa." She smiled at me and began to talk about another CD she wanted to buy. I only half listened as my mind wandered through last night.

_Why'd I wake up so suddenly? I can't remember what I was dreaming? Why's this happening to me now? _

[Back at Alfea in Faragonda's office…]

Luna: So you finished analyzing the second chapter?

Faragonda: Yes. And it seems that Cian's powers will continue to grow.

Digit: What's helping him?

Faragonda: Silent-takers take blood as well as magic. According to this, Cian can obtain the magic, but he is unable to keep them. That's why he keeps sending his creatures to kill.

Lockette: Does it mention anything about the Dragon Fire?

Faragonda: I think it's safe to say for the first time, Bloom's powers will be safe and not threatened.

Lockette: (Sighing in relief) That's good to hear.

Chatta: But why? Isn't the Dragon Fire the most powerful magic in all the universe.

Faragonda: It is, but it's not the only one.

Amore: It isn't?

Faragonda: Not at all. The power that Cian's looking for is Balance.

Luna: Balance?

Faragonda: Balance between light a dark.

Digit: Doesn't that exist already?

Faragonda: There's the company of light and the company of dark, but that's not what Cian's after.

Chatta: (beginning to lose her patients) Then what is he after?

Faragonda: One vampire who has a balance of light and dark magic.

Luna: Sounds to me a lot like Scarlet.

Faragonda: Indeed. Countess Clarissa writes about his desire to rule all things light and dark and that when the time approaches, one shall be born with the equal balance of both.

Luna: I'm telling you, it's Scarlet. Layla's right! He's after Scarlet!

Faragonda: It appears to be so. Because of Scarlet's wind powers, she holds light magic, and because of her Vampire powers, she holds dark magic as well.

Luna: And those dark powers of hers are starting to develop at a fast rate.

Faragonda: I better inform Griffin and Saladin about this.

Lockette: What about the Winx Club?

Faragonda: I promised them the day off to relax. They also need to be close and connected if they want to prepare themselves for the next battle.

Luna: Especially Scarlet.

Faragonda: Especially Scarlet.

[Back in Magix…]

Bloom: Scarlet seems to be having fun.

Stella: I know. Don't I come up with brilliant ideas? (Looks through a line of clothing) Speaking of Scarlet, which one of these would look good on her?

Bloom: (In utter shock) You're asking me for clothing advice?

Stella: When it's about someone else, yes.

Bloom: Stella, Scarlet has money of her own. She can buy the outfit is she wants to.

Stella: This isn't a push-on outfit. It's a present.

Bloom: A present? What for?

Stella: Although I was disgusted by Scarlet drinking blood last night, I realized that what Flora did proved to Scarlet about her acceptance of her being a vampire. She found a way to help Scarlet cope with her thirst problem. And she was able to perform a dark spell over Scarlet this morning with ease and grace. More proof for Scarlet.

Bloom: I hope you're not jealous.

Stella: I'm not. I want to prove to Scarlet that vampire or not I love her. And if I love both her wind and vampire self then so should she.

Bloom: I couldn't agree more.

Stella: So I'm picking out an outfit that Scarlet will wear when she finally accepts her vampire self. Plus she'll have to keep her hair long. The outfit I pick will have to go well with her long black hair.

Bloom: Wow, you really put a lot of thought into this.

Stella: Of course. Now, come help me look. (The two look until Stella picks out a simple, scarlet colored dress with short sleeves that ride off the shoulder. There're also light blue straps, appearing like there's a tang-top underneath, and a thick light blue belt that rests upon the hips. The buckle is in a shape of a bow.) This is perfect!

Bloom: And how about these shoes to match? And this as a chocker? (Pulls out light blue platform sandals and a light blue ribbon)

Stella: See Bloom, this is why I asked for your help.

Bloom: Let's go purchase them and meet up with everyone else.

[Back to Scarlet…]

"I'm not really a hat kind of person," I said as Flora placed a hat over my head.

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to see how cute you look." She turned me around to face the mirror. The hat I was wearing was big, like a sun-hat. It was a dark green with a pink ribbon tied around it along with lots of plastic flowers.

"Flora, I think that hat's a negative."

"I second that!" I replied.

"Alright." Flora took off the hat as I turned to Tecna, typing away on her small hand-top.

"What're you researching?" I asked.

"Nothing. Just deleting messages from Timmy."

"Are you two in a fight?" Flora asked.

"Sorta. I met up with Timmy last night and he began to act illogical when I mentioned how I got my head injury. I told him that if he dares to think otherwise about you, Scarlet, then he should stay away from me." I felt my heart vibrate as if a pebble had knocked into it.

"I'm sorry that I was the cause of your fight."

"Don't be. Timmy's the one who should apologize. Honestly, boys can be a pain in the ass."

"Tecna, he might just be worried about you," Flora pointed out, "It was only a year ago when he thought that he lost you forever." Tecna paused from her typing and shook her head.

"Then shouldn't he have more faith in me?"

"I'm sure he does," I answered, "But think about it, Tecna. The person you love is gone and you feel so empty inside. Sorta like what's the meaning of your life now since that most important person is gone. Then you discover there's a way to save that person and you do everything in your power to make it happen. Once you've saved them, you feel complete again. However, one year later, a new threat comes along and you become scared that you'll lose them again. Can you say that that feeling's unreasonable?"

"I guess not."

"Scarlet's right," Flora replied, "Timmy's just over protective. You can't blame him. And I bet you if you two talk it out, he'll understand that there's nothing to worry about."

"Especially since there isn't anything to worry about," Tecna muttered. Flora and I looked at one another and sighed.

"Oh Tecna, always putting logic before her feelings."

"I'm better than I was when I first met you all, Flora. Remember that?" Flora laughed.

"Oh yes I do." I stood there awkwardly smiling as the two girls laughed.

"But now," Tecna said while calming down, "We've got Scarlet and Matt to worry about." My cheeks began to turn red.

"Agreed, especially since Scarlet hasn't seen Matt in a while."

"Will you two cut it out!"

[However…]

Riven: Those girls seriously better not try to shove that monster onto Matt.

Timmy: I hardly think she's a monster.

Sky: But wasn't it _you_ who told us that she transformed into a stronger vampire and hurt our girls.

Timmy: True, but-

Riven: She's a monster. Born as one and will die as one. (He clenches his fists tightly).

Brandon: Cool it, Riven. Look, the plan is that we talk to the girls, right? Let them know that we're concerned. We're not telling them to tie her up on a cross and watch her burn.

Riven: I wouldn't mind doing that.

Sky: Riven, just listen to yourself. You're seriously considering killing a girl who's helped out multiple times? A warrior who would give up her life for ours?

Timmy: Guys, can we calm down here, please. When I told you guys that Scarlet's transformation hurt the girls, I intended for us to ask them about it, not stalk them while they shop.

Brandon: Should've gone with Matt, Helia, and Nabu. They're checking out the new weapons that arrived yesterday!

Riven: Then go! I'm not leaving. If Musa's in danger, then I'm going to protect her.

Brandon: Calm down, lover boy. I didn't mean to offend-

Sky: Shhh! They're coming this way!

[Back to the winx…]

"You bought a lot, Stella," I pointed out as Stella left the store with five bags.

"Well I cannot not shop. It's like you not liking Matt." More heat waves flooded up to my cheeks.

"Oh come on!"

"I told you last night, hon, that we can solve problems like Matt. He kissed you! And you should kiss him back in return."

"This is so embarrassing!"

"No it's not," Flora said, "And just imagine if Matt's feelings for you and your feelings for him was the key to something involving your powers. Wouldn't that be romantic?"

"If only that were true," I muttered, "then I wouldn't be causing you guys so much trouble."

"Oh, Scarlet, that's all in the past," Musa explained, "Today let's focus on the clothes Stella bought, the CD you want, and the park to hang out in."

"Can we join?" We all turned around to see Nabu, Helia, and Matt in their causal clothes walking towards us. My eyes were drawn to Matt's, the ice blue swirling in the sunlight. I felt completely mesmerized.

"Of course Layla and I'd want you to," Flora pointed out, "But today was supposed to be a day with just us girls."

"Where're the other boys?" Stella asked, a little annoyed that Brandon didn't show.

"Around," Nabu answered, "They were spying on you to make sure that you were alright."

"Why wouldn't we be alright?" Musa asked. Nabu and Helia looked at one another as Matt approached me with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey," he said smoothly.

"Hey," I said casually, trying to act normal.

"You cut your hair?" I ran my fingers through my short hair and nodded.

"Long hair can get really tangled and messed up, especially in a battle."

"I understand that." There was an awkward pause as I noticed at the corner of my eye the Winx Club watching. I was about to yell at them when Matt's voice caught me off guard. "So have you been to the weaponry store here, yet?"

"No, not yet. I probably should though."

"Wanna come with me? There's a new shipment of swords that I really wanna see."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Apparently they're from Steelion, a place made out of steel."

"I've read about that place. No one lives there, but it's just a mining place to create weapons." Without hesitating, he grabbed my hand and began to pull me along.

"Come on guys!" he shouted, "Let's go." I turned around and saw the girls and the two guys waving at me, as if sending me off to be married…ick! Matt didn't seem to notice or to care. In fact, he never let go of my hand. Suddenly, all of my problems of having the strength of a full vampire, the weird dream I couldn't remember, and hurting my friends seemed to have disappeared. It was as if what Flora said was actually true.

_I really wish it was…_I let Matt lead me to the store and my jaw fell open at the sights of the different blades that were before me.

"Why doesn't Red Fountain use these types of swords?"

"Because we're trained to carry a lot of weapons and gear, and what better way to carry such items than with the Red Fountain equipment."

"That makes sense. At Inter-Realms it was create our own somehow or just borrow one from the school."

"Do you still miss it?" I paused for a moment and shrugged.

"Of course I do. But I've gotta say, the Winx club has really helped me move on. I can go through a day without having that painful feeling of lose in my heart. I owe those girls a great deal." I turned to face Matt. "And I owe you and the specialists a great deal too. I'm sorry for dragging you into this." I waited for him to reply, but he didn't. Instead, he tucked a strand of black hair behind my ear.

"You're really a strange fairy," he said as he traced the side of my face with his index finger. I shivered from his touch. Once his finger was under my chin, he brought his lips to mine again and left them there for what felt like forever! His lips were as hot as I remember them and my heart was pounding so loudly. I felt my blood rushing through my body at a fast pace as he let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist. I had to stand on my toes because he was so tall. And sometimes his lips would pull away from mine only to return again.

_It's official…Flora's right…all my problems seem to disappear…when Matt's with me…_

Finally, he pulled his lips away from mine and said, "I thought that you'd call after that night." I blinked in confusion for a moment before shaking my head a bit and answering.

"I thought _you_ would call."

"Why would I call?"

"I dunno. To explain why you kissed me in the first place."

"Well isn't that obvious?" I paused and shook my head. Matt scratched the back of his neck and looked uncomfortable for a moment.

"Look, I like you. You're different from the other fairies. Plus, you're a fighter. I like that. I also like it when you get frustrated with me because I'm picking on you. It's…attractive. So…" A smirk began to grow on his face as he ran his fingers through my hair. _Are my legs still under me? Or is the wind holding me up?_ "Would you want to…date me?" I completely froze, and apparently to the point where Matt had to wave his hand in front of my face to grab my attention.

"I'm sorry," I said, "What?" Matt took a deep breath and repeated, "Would you want to go out with me?" A smile began to grow on my face. I tried to hide it, but couldn't.

"I'd like that," I answered, "A lot." He smiled in relief and was about to speak, but a different voice escaped his lips.

"Aw, young love. How nauseating."

"What's nauseating is actually your face, not me and Matt." I turned around and saw Fury gritting her teeth at me. I noticed that she was in her regular green outfit with the three-quarter sleeve shirt and all.

"You monster!"

"Get your facts straight. I'm no monster. I'm just better then you."

"Oh really?" She raised her hand and a glowing green ball began to grow. Before she could say anything I gathered the air around me to wrap around my right arm as I launched my wind punch to knock Fury out of the doorway. Quickly, I summoned my wind board, grabbed Matt, and flew out of the shop.

"Oh no you don't!" I heard Fury launch another attack and did my best to dodge it. I noticed Matt pulling out his bow and arrow and launching them at Fury.

"You know, transforming would be very useful," Matt suggested in an annoyed tone…Jerk.

"Scarlet Magic Winx!" The wind wrapped around me and I felt my clothes changing into the familiar texture of my Winx outfit. Thanks to my wings, I was able to give my board to Matt.

"Go get the others," I shouted. Matt didn't have a chance to argue, for I still had some control over my wind board and sent him towards the park.

"Aw, can't handle me all by yourself?"

"I can. I'm asking Matt to leave and get the others. By then you would've been defeated anyway."

"Ugh! I hate your stupid comments!" She launched more random green ball attacks and I continued to dodge them.

"Fury, you truly live up to your name." I raised my hand in the air, folding all my fingers except for my middle and index. "You get furious at everything I do!" I brought my hand down at a diagonal and released my wind slash. Fury tried to block it, but got hit instead.

Suddenly, I felt snow falling around me, specifically my wings. They became frozen to the point where I couldn't even move them.

"And you live up to your name," said a familiar chilling voice, "for having scarlet colored blood." Quickly, I gathered what breeze was around me and focused them between my hands. Once it was complete, I turned around and threw it at Icy. My attack caught her by surprise as she went flying. I began to fall towards the ground as Stormy gritted her teeth and growled.

"How dare you hurt us!" She shouted, "Let's see if you can stop…" She stretched out her arms and began to spin around. The current she was creating began to pull me in as she finished saying, "…my tornado!" Thanks to this, I actually managed to land on my feet with one hand on the ground for support. _Thank you wind currents at Aquila for teaching me wind tricks,_ I silently prayed.

"Really, Stormy? You're using wind against a wind fairy?" I stretched out my hand and stopped the tornado from coming towards me. Slowly, it went towards Stormy and I couldn't help but laugh as the tornado swirled around her.

"This is pathetic!" Darcy screamed. "Sphere of Oblivion!" A purple wave hurdled towards me. Naturally I placed my hands out in front of me, focused on the negative energy hurdling towards me, and said, "Micu Yepyv." The pulse stopped at me. "Sphere of Oblivion." And it bounced back towards Darcy.

"Alright, sisters," Fury shouted, "Let's cut Scarlet up into little ribbons!" She suddenly transformed into her witch form and summoned her green dagger. The other three witches followed her example and surrounded me. I swept up the air to surround me as a disappeared from their trap and reappeared behind Fury. As I created a warm breeze to melt the ice on my wings, I extended my right hand and felt the warm silver liquid seep through and created my trusty silver sword.

"You're not the only one who can summon a weapon!" With that, I flew towards them, sword pointed right at Fury.

[So while this was occurring, right after Scarlet and Matt leave…]

Layla: Well look at that. He took her away from us.

Stella: About time too. I was getting worried that he'd never ask her out on a date.

Helia: He needed some help, but that's not why we're here.

Flora: Is everything alright?

Nabu: Timmy mentioned to us late last night that Scarlet had hurt all of you.

Tecna: (Clearly upset) Timmy did what?

Helia: Cut him some slack. He mentioned that you all had to fight Scarlet because she was over powered by negative energy.

Bloom: Well, her negative energy was building up within her and exploded once she held back her emotions. According to Ms. Griffin, her negative energy was so strong that it made her unconscious.

Nabu: Sounds like you were fighting the negative energy that was controlling Scarlet's body rather than Scarlet herself.

Tecna: Exactly! Why doesn't Timmy understand this?

Helia: Because he's worried. And he wanted to let us know because we all care about you and don't want you to get hurt.

Musa: So the other guys were around you say?

Helia: That's right. They just wanted to make sure Scarlet wasn't "manipulating" you or anything into siding with her against them. They're just immature guys.

Stella: I couldn't agree more! Don't these boys trust us?

Nabu: Some boys are over-protective…right guys? (Nabu looks beyond the Winx and Timmy, Brandon, Sky, and Riven are barely seen through their hiding spot.)

Sky: (Pops out) Well, there goes that plan.

Bloom: Are you seriously spying on us?

Sky: (takes her hands) I'm sorry, Bloom, but when you hear that your fiancée was hurt by someone you believed to be harmless, you start to worry.

Stella: That still doesn't give you the right to spy on us!

Brandon: Come on, Stel, we were worried.

Stella: I can take care of myself, thank you very much!

Riven: How did she hurt you?

Musa: Please, Riven. I'm fine.

Riven: (notices vague marks around Musa's neck. He touches them) Did she strangle you?

Musa: She wasn't the one doing it!

Tecna: I can't believe that you told everyone!

Timmy: I was worried.

Tecna: You were in no position in telling the guys that we were hurt. We're still able to fight!

Matt: Well good, because we need back-up. (Everyone stops bickering to see Matt on Scarlet's wind board) It's those four witches again. They're ganging up against Scarlet.

Layla: Alright girls, let's show these boys the truth of the matter.

All: Magic Winx!

[Back to Scarlet…]

Negative energy went pulsing through my body as my back slammed into a building. Spots appeared before my eyes as I rubbed the back of my head.

"What's the matter?" Icy asked as an ice ball was forming in her hands, "Can't fight all four of us?" She threw it at me and I shattered it with my sword. I pointed at the falling icicle pieces, creating a wind current around them and throwing them and the Trix. Icy stopped them in their tracks and threw them at me once more.

"Wind Shield!" I shouted as the wind created a shield to bounce back Icy's attack. While the witches let down their guard, I summoned my wind magic to create a dozen spears. _Time to put Paladiam's lessons into play_. My energy was slowly draining, but I held onto my sword and focused on the spears. With my lead, the spears came hurdling towards the witches. Again, they tried to block it, but they each got sliced by my blade. The air around me began to spin as I threw it towards the witches, making sure that any blood that was spilt wouldn't come in my direction.

My head began to feel a bit light. I've never summoned two weapons before let alone a dozen. And the worst part was I felt sleepy again. _Shit! I forgot. Light magic cancels out the dark one. That spear attack totally sucked up all my wind magic…Fuck!_

I placed my hand above the center of my chest and was about to give myself an energy boost when my vision began to fog up and my body became completely numb. I couldn't feel anything nor see what was happening. The witches' cackling drew nearer as my numb body hurtled (I assumed) towards the ground.

"And now," Fury said, "The moment we've been waiting for."

"Let's slice her up," Darcy replied.

"And cut her to ribbons," Stormy added.

"And watch her blood pour out of her body and into our blades," Icy finished. I tried to move my mouth, but I couldn't. The numbness didn't allow me to move my muscles.

_What a way to die._

Suddenly, I heard a grunting sound from all four witches as footsteps approached me.

"Scarlet!" The Winx screamed. I tried to talk, but I only made groaning noises.

"What's wrong with her?" Flora asked.

"It's black magic," Tecna answered, "My guess is that Fury used it. It's a numbing spell to prevent Scarlet from doing anything."

"Well Scarlet is the type of girl that could only be stopped by that," Stella pointed out, "But how can we revive her." There was a pause before she continued. "Her eyes are wide open. Can she see us?"

_No! I can't!_ I tried shaking my head, but it didn't work.

"Guys," I heard Bloom say, "you lead Musa, Layla, and Stella into occupying the witches. Tecna, Flora, and I will try to heal Scarlet."

"Why would you want to heal her?" Riven asked in disgust, "If she's frozen then let's keep her that way."

"Riven!" I heard Musa cry, "She our best friend and we love her! We're going to revive her."

"How can she be your best friend when you've known her for a short time?"

"Riven." My heart froze as Matt's voice echoed in my ears. "I suggest that you focus on those witches or they'll take Musa's blood next. Do you want that to happen?" There was a pause. "Good. Now Timmy, what's our best strategy?" While Timmy was talking about his plan, Tecna was talking to Flora and Bloom about saving me.

"Luckily, Digit and I scanned the spell books that Scarlet has in our room. I'm sure there's a spell in there that can help bring her back."

"I'm gonna try using my healing powers." I heard something that sounded like fire, but I wasn't able to feel its heat. _The Dragon's Fire that brings life. It should be able to wipe away this spell_.

"It's not gonna work, Bloom. Fury's spell is yet another ancient one. We need special plants along with your dragon fire to help burn away the numbness spell."

"What kind of plants?" Flora asked.

"The dry leaves of a fire plant. They're usually found near volcanoes."

"We're not gonna find that around here…But it's possible for me to summon them."

"Can you do that?" Bloom asked.

"If it's to save Scarlet then I can." I heard the sound of glitter falling and saw a bright light appear. Not long afterwards came the sound of clapping.

"You did it Flora!" Bloom said.

"I know! But let's hurry," Flora mentioned, "Where do we put them?"

"We need to put them over her elbows, knees, and one in the center of her body," Tecna replied, "That way, when Bloom uses her healing magic, it'll spread throughout Scarlet's body faster and more evenly, giving us a higher chance of reviving her."

"Then let's get started." I began to hear fire crackling near me again. Thankfully, I began to feel its warmth slipping under my skin and throughout my body. My blood was gently flowing through me, carrying Bloom's heat and my senses began to awaken. As I felt my eyes blinking, I saw my three friends standing over me with smiles on their faces.

"How're you feeling?" Flora asked, slowly helping me up. I noticed that they were in their Winx outfits as I moved my neck around.

"I feel pathetic in that all I've been able to do is worry you by passing out."

"I'd rather you feel that than not alive," Bloom said, "So what happened?" I told them about how Matt and I were minding our own business when the Trix entered the scene.

"The last thing I remember feeling and seeing was trying to give myself another energy boost, but Fury's attack hit me and I…fell?"

"If you were still hovering in the air when Fury's attack hit you, then you fell," Tecna replied.

"Thanks to Bloom's healing powers, you probably don't feel that pain either," Flora pointed out.

"Talk about convenience with the numbing and your fall," Bloom mentioned, "But I was more than happy to heal you. Now come on. Let's help the others." I quickly flew through the air, feeling more awake and alive than ever and stretched my body out. My silver sword returned to me as a small tornado formed in my left hand. I threw it at Fury and lunged towards her to knock the dagger out of her hand. Unfortunately, she blocked it and I recited, "Mekhoyphc Hetavthunx Wojuk." Fury appeared frustrated that I protected my mind from her. She pushed me back and threw her dagger at me. I focused on the wind, which was whisping through Magix and noticed some lose strings that I summoned towards my hand. Quickly I drew a half circle in front of me, throwing the strings at the flying dagger, and stopping it before it could reach my skin.

"Way to go, Scarlet!" I heard Stella cheer. With a confident smile, I turned the dagger around and threw it at Fury. She quickly dodged it…but landed into Musa and Layla's convergence of a water trap pounding with music.

"Well done, girls," I complimented.

"We couldn't have done it without your help," Musa pointed out.

"Alright!" We all turned to face Fury, "Sisters…it's time that we use the power of blood." The four witches raised their daggers and recited, "By the power given to us by the vampire sorcerers from long ago, control the mortal whose blood has touched our blade!" Dark clouds began to form above us as we prepared ourselves for the worst. However, nothing happened.

"Did we miss the attack?" Brandon asked.

"Matt!" I looked down and saw Riven running towards Matt, who was on his knees gasping for breath. I flew down to Matt's other side, dropped my sword, and placed my hands on his shoulder.

"I can't…breathe…" I placed my hand over his heart only to have Riven pushing it away.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

"I can help."

"Scar…" Matt weakly turned his head towards me and said, "Keep…fighting…I'll be…alright." I stood up and placed my hands out in front of me, palms facing Matt.

"Wind Shield." The wind wrapped around Matt, pushing Riven away. "This will give you the purest air that can help with your breathing. That way, if you fall unconscious you're not breathing the polluted air of blood." Matt nodded as I flew up into the air.

_Wind spirits, please protect Matt until the battle's over. Should my shield fail please help him._ I took a deep breath and blew my thoughts out into the wind.

"_We shall_." I felt the wind head towards Matt, providing my shield another layer of protection.

"Alright, witches," Stella shouted, "You're gonna pay for ruining our day." She threw her ring in the air and recited, "Solaria!" As she caught the staff, she released a bright ray of light, blinding the four witches. I created more silver liquid in my left hand and had it wrapped around them.

"Where did you learn that trick?" Stella asked as she dimmed her brightly lit staff, "If you're the fairy of wind nothing solid or liquid-y should be summoned, right?"

"It's something Inter-Realms taught me. You can only do so much with the wind that people will start to predict your moves. On the other hand, changing it somehow will surprise the enemy."

"Something like this?" Before I could do anything, a blizzard of icicles pushed me back, stinging my skin as it sliced it. My arms, my legs, some on my torso, everywhere except for my back and my face. I did my best to fight against it, but once I inhaled my own, sweet blood, I felt my body trembling and my fangs aching as I tried to not transform. Musa and Layla surrounded me and lowered me to the ground while the witches cackled away.

"Some warrior fairy," Icy commented.

"I must say, Icy, you definitely know how to handle these kinds of situations."

"Thank you Fury. And now…" Icy raised her dagger as the other girls followed, "Shall we?"

"Not so fast!" Stella flew in front of me, Layla and Musa with Bloom, Flora, and Tecna by her side. "That was cheap what you did!"

"If it was for our benefit," Stormy announced, "Then it wasn't cheap."

"Oh yeah? Well how about this!" Stella brought her staff forth as the other three placed their power into it.

"Digital Floral Fire Light Arrow!" What looked like a golden arrow shot at Icy. She and Fury moved out of the way while Darcy and Stormy were hit. As the four Winx girls cheered, I felt dark magic nearby.

"Look out!" I shouted, hoping that someone heard me. I watched Musa release a sonic beat that knocked Fury to the ground.

"Well done, girl," Layla commented, giving Musa a thumbs up. We heard footsteps approaching and familiar shouts from the specialists heading towards us. I noticed that Riven walked towards Matt, who was still on his knees gasping for breath.

_I wish I could be there to help you, but I'm so weak when blood is present. _

"You girls alright?" Sky asked.

"Scarlet's reacting to her blood," Bloom answered.

"Alrighty then!" Stella said with spirit, "Let's help Scarlet and-"

The sound of a blade cutting flesh echoed around me. Piercing through my ears as I saw Stella's eyes wide open in shock. Below her wings I saw crimson blood dripping down as she fell forward. Everything seemed to slow down as I faintly heard Brandon calling out to her, trying to catch her, but Icy threw an attack at him to push him away. The other specialists stop running as Darcy and Stormy stood in their way. Acting on instinct, I moved forward to catch Stella as the other girls followed. A deep red line was drawn across her back, just below the wings. My heart beat, the only sound that I could hear, was racing as Stella's blood aroma filled my nose. Her blood. My blood. The mixture was driving me crazy. My trembling grew as I looked up to see Icy's blue dagger filled a bit with Stella's blood. I began to take shallow breaths as I did my best not to transform.

"Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?" I heard Icy say. It sounded like I was underwater with my heart beat sounding out loud and clear.

"Not at all, sister," Fury replied in the same underwater tone. She faced me, her eyes thinning with anger. "You refuse to change when so much blood is presented before you? I can imagine the smell's driving you mad."

My heart beat grew louder as my fangs slowly grew in length. I tried to hold back, trying to control my anger and the negative energy that began to stir within me.

"This trembling is annoying," I heard Darcy mumble. Suddenly, a ripple of negative energy poured through my body.

_No! I'm losing control…I can't…make it…_ My vision of the winx club and Stella disappeared. My heart beat was the only sound I heard.

_They wanna hurt my friends? They're gonna have to get through me first._

[From the Winx's point of view…]

(Scarlet's hit by Darcy's attack, which causes her hair to grow and her winx outfit to change into her vampire outfit. Her wings are massive once more and her shaking stops. Darcy stops the attack and the girls silently stare at Scarlet, her head hanging down and her long hair fallen. When she lifts her head up, Scarlet's eyes are bright silver. She passes her end of Stella to the other Winx and flys up into the air.)

Flora: Oh no, it's happening again!

(Specialists run to their girls. Sky's got Brandon's arm around his neck and is helping him towards Stella. Scarlet starts fighting the witches and unleashing a lot of negative energy.)

Helia: So this is what happened to Scarlet yesterday?

Tecna: Yes, but this time she's not fighting us.

Nabu: Her goal is to destroy the witches.

Layla: Can you feel her powers, Nabu?

Nabu: Yes. Scarlet's unconscious. Only her anger towards the witches is guiding her.

Timmy: The negative energy?

Nabu: Yes. She kept it contained so as not to transform.

Bloom: Darcy's last attack must've helped Scarlet lose control.

Helia: (looking up at Scarlet): I can't believe it.

Riven: (Looks at the unconscious Matt, gritting his teeth) She's a demon from hell. Monster doesn't cover it anymore.

Musa: How can you say that when she's defending us against the witches?

Tecna: Should we help her?

Nabu: Don't. If you interfere then she might get mad at you for helping her. (Closes his eyes, folds in his ring finger and pinky on both hands, and places them together. He adjusts them making his two fingers standing to be side by side.)

Brandon: (taking Stella away from the girls, holding her tightly) Stella. Stella.

Flora: The clear liquid! Be careful, Brandon.

Layla: (creates another pink glove and wipes it away) Tecna, another sample.

Tecna: (takes the sample and begins to research it.) I must say, I'm surprised that Stella's not in pain.

Bloom: She's out cold. She probably feels it none-the-less.

Nabu: (opens his eyes and drops his hands. He faces his team with a smile on his face.) I think you all should know that Scarlet's fighting for you.

Layla: What do you mean?

Nabu: I discovered why she transformed. She was so mad at the witches for taking Stella's blood that she wanted to hurt them in return.

Sky: But she wasn't like that when Matt got hurt.

Musa: Instead, she was devastated and shocked. Heartbroken by the fact that the guy she likes was in pain.

Nabu: Her powers…her vampire powers…they don't want to be contained any more. They want to be used and Scarlet's not allowing it.

Tecna: Professor Grififn mentioned that last night. Scarlet has the strength of a full vampire because of the negative energy she contained.

Bloom: She was mad at us for preventing her from leaving Alfea yesterday. She's mad at the witches for hurting the people she cares about today. These transformations seem to be based on revenge.

Nabu: That is correct.

Timmy: So if we stay out of the way, she won't fight us? (Nabu nods) That's good.

Tecna: See, Timmy, I told you that there was nothing to worry about.

Sky: I guess we owe you girls an apology for following you like that.

Bloom: It's okay, really. You were concerned. But I hope you know now there's nothing for you to be afraid of.

(Everyone continues to watch. Flora looks at Scarlet with worry.)

Flora: Oh Scarlet. Even after she transformed, she carefully passed Stella to us. There's no way that she would ever intend to hurt us.

Riven: Looks like she's winning. (Finally steps away from Matt and wraps his arm around Musa's waists, pulling her in tightly) I don't want to lose you.

Musa: You're not going to. I know you won't allow it. (Looks at him) I won't allow it. (Looks up at Scarlet) And Scarlet won't allow it.

Sky: Look's like she's almost done.

Tecna: Scarlet's the only person who can heal Stella.

Brandon: If what you're all saying is true, then she'll help Stella, right? Even in her crazy condition?

Flora: She will. Don't you worry.

Nabu: That's strange.

Layla: What?

Nabu: I feel another presence of someone.

Layla: Where?

Nabu: I'm not sure. I just…feel it.

(The Witches disappear and Scarlet begins to glow silver)

[Back to Scarlet's point of view…]

"_Enough's enough, Scarlet. Withdraw your energy. Calm down. You must regain conscious." _

_My conscious? Who are you? How do you know my name? _

"_I don't have time to explain. You must save Stella. If you don't, she will die." _

_She can't die! _

"_Then breathe. Even though there's blood in the air you must calm your heart down. Breathe." _

…_Breathe…_

As the breeze around me disappeared, I slowly opened my eyes and saw that I was on my knees resting on the concrete road. The midnight blue sheer arm gloves wrapped in silver ribbons caught me by surprised.

_My Vampire form? But how? _A familiar sweet scent filled my nose as I noticed the slashes across my body.

_Well at least I'm not in pain from preventing my transformation. Might as well drink._

"Scarlet?" I turned around and saw Bloom slowly approaching me, cautious with every step as if I was a vicious animal. "Are you back to normal?" I was confused by what she was asking until a new scent filled my nose.

"_You must save Stella. If you don't, she will die." _

Without thinking, I got up and ran towards Stella. Everyone gave me space except for Brandon, who was holding Stella on her side, her back facing me.

"Can you help her?" He asked, expecting me to say no. I didn't answer. Instead I raised my left hand and gently placed it under my fangs. The warm healing liquid poured onto it faster than before. When I felt that I had enough, I rubbed the ointment across Stella's wound and said, "Lahe." Slowly, the deep cut began to heal Brandon's eyes grew hopeful as Stella stirred a bit, slowly opening her honey-brown eyes.

"Wh-wha-what happened?" She asked. Brandon hugged her tightly as she did her best to wake up.

"You're alive and that's all that matters."

My head began to feel light.

"Alive?"

My throat was really dry.

"Scarlet healed you," Bloom said.

_I'm so thirsty. _

"The clear stuff that was surrounding Matt's wound surrounded yours."

_I can't drink in front of them. _

"And when we wiped it off, she used her healing ointment and…Scarlet?" I tried to lift my head, but everything was spinning in different directions.

_Mustn't…pass…out…_

Everything turned to black.

[Meanwhile…]

Fury: (Back in her regular outfit) I swear I'm gonna strangle that girl until she's dead between my hands.

Icy: (Also in her regular outfit) I couldn't agree more. First Bloom and her Dragon Flame, now Scarlet and her vampire powers.

Stormy: (clearly ticked off as she transforms back into her casual clothes) Those winx girls always have the upper hand. Always has the power on their side. (Pauses and gives Fury a questioning look) What does Master Cian see in Scarlet?

Fury: He hasn't told me. All I know is about the power we four posses.

Darcy: (adjusting her glasses) You haven't told us what this great power is that we happen to posses.

Fury: It takes time, dear sister. And the fact that the decedents of the three ancient witches have finally reunited, even now our powers are growing.

Stormy: (says through her teeth) HOW!

Fury: Have you noticed that the attacks you're using are ancient spells?

Icy: Yeah. So?

Fury: You never really used ancient spells before except when you had the Dragon's Fire.

Darcy: Can you just get to the point already?

Fury: Ancient spells are spells that usually have trouble being countered. For example (pulls out her dagger) the liquid that rest on the outside layer of the blade was from a spell book found from when the Fire Dragon was still creating the universe. A potion's created and then a spell is recited. Alone the liquid acts like acid, in a way.

Icy: But with the power of Cian's blade…

Fury…The liquid has a greater purpose than just burning flesh. Whatever amount of blood is lost, the liquid makes up for.

Darcy: That's why we can use the power of blood. We can weaken our enemies on by one.

Fury: See, isn't Cian brilliant with being patient.

Stormy: But that doesn't answer how us using more ancient spells helps with this amazing power that we apparently posses.

Icy: I get it. There's no counter spell for the ancient spells we use.

Darcy: That's can't be true. Every spell has a counter spell.

Fury: True, but does everyone know of it?

Icy: (really enjoying the conversation) I like the way you think.

Fury: The numbness spell I used was from two centuries ago.

Darcy: But the winx girls were able to figure out how to break the spell.

Fury: Spells from two centuries ago is an easy find. It's those from the Dragon's birth that's unbeatable.

Icy: How're you so sure.

Fury: Weren't you all wondering about the great power we four posses?

Stormy: Yes! Tell us!

Fury: I'm still not sure what it is, but the fact that ancient spells are returning to us, the balance of physical and metal attacks are reunited, and we're younger than the four ancient witches, it will be something the Winx will have trouble beating.

Darcy: So why did our ancestors trade in your ancestor for the Dragon's Flame if the four of us together is mega powerful?

Fury: Balance. Everything in the universe has to have a sense of balance.

Stormy: It always seems to me that the balance of good tends to beat the balance of dark.

Icy: Well it's because the dark balance wants to shake things up a bit.

Fury: But when you "shake things up a bit" you eventually lose. The weaker side is able to draw enough strength forward to defeat the chaotic, yet stronger side. How else have the Winx been able to defeat you, Darkar, and Valtor.

Darcy: I see you point.

Icy: So when the three ancient witches traded the fourth witch for some of the dragon's fire, they understood that they needed to keep the balance. Interesting.

Fury: That's why Cian's taking it slowly. He wants to keep the balance in order to obtain Scarlet.

Darcy: Who has something that he wants.

Icy: I'm game for patience. After all (evil grin) either way all those fairies would have spilt blood for us.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Discovery and Battle at Cloud Tower

(Cian's playing around with the now three viles of blood he has in the usual common place with the witches present and bowing)

Cian: So the power of Blood worked I see.

Fury: Yes, master. The young specialist that we sliced was in no condition to fight.

Cian: That's because we controlled his blood. We used it to freeze the heart.

Icy: Did we kill him?

Cian: Unfortunately no. You didn't use the full power of blood, which is for the better at this point in time. (Walks passed the witches and places the three viles in his pocket) The time has come to pick up the pace in our blood hunt. I'm creating something that will help you get more than one person's blood. Keep your blades and make sure to be on your guard when you next face them. (Leaves the common place and walks into another room. Inside lies the Royal family, Princess Kayla, Lolita, and Damian. Cian grins) And how're my guests this fine evening?

King: You monstrous fiend! You will regret what you've done to my people!

Cian: Your majesty, you speak so bravely to defend your people. However, your words mean nothing to me. (his eyes turn to the Queen, who was holding Kayla tightly) There's no reason to hold on so tightly to your daughter, your highness. She will not be harmed here.

Queen: (In disgust) She's my only daughter and I refuse to let her go. I've read about your kind. You suck the blood from any creature dry! You really think I'll put my daughter at risk?

Cian: You've had a vampire living on your planet for many years. It's clear to me that perhaps you don't look so lowly at my kind.

Damian: She does. We all do. The whole vampire race does. It's your _kind_ that we don't like: The vampires who wander the universe giving the rest of us a bad name. I've read the legend about you. You're no mystery.

Cian: Then you, wise advisor of the Royal family of Aquila, can tell me where my Balance is?

Damian: I don't know. If I had found him or her, I would've prepared them to fight you.

Cian: Stop kidding yourself. You know who the Balance is and you will tell me where he or she is.

Lolita: (says with annoyance) Please, if Damian knew we wouldn't be tied up like this. You're just keeping us alive till find this Balance. The longer you're searching, the longer we're alive.

Cian: What a sharp tongue coming from a warrior of your league.

Lolita: (rolling her eyes) You think you're so clever standing there grinning with your pointy fangs shining on us. Why don't you villains ever understand that when the balance is tilted, the weaker side's prepared for anything.

Cian: The way you speak reminds me of someone we're hunting down. She's always says comments like that to lighten the mood of even the bloodiest of battles. (thinks for a moment) You know, when I destroyed Inter-Realms, I thought that I destroyed everyone. (Lolita's jaw tightens and Damian shows his teeth like an animal, fangs grown and sharp)

Damian: (Spits out words) What's your point?

Cian: The Balance can withstand the power of my silent-takers and the smell of blood should have driven them into madness. Did I ever tell you that one…escaped?

Lolita: Let me guess, the Balance.

Cian: Not quite. (grabs Lolita's face, still grinning) A senior female student who loves the wind allowed my creatures to enter the school when she left. Does that ring a bell? (Lolita reveals nothing, so he turns to Damian) You both don't remember a student who used the wind for everything? (He turns to Kayla, who's eyes are wide open as they filled with tears) You seem to know, dear child. Does it make your blood rush with hope that she's safe?

King: Don't listen to him, Kayla. He wants us to believe that there's a survivor, but there're none. No one could have withstand that attack.

Cian: That's right, Princess Kayla, listen to your father. After all, anyone could play with the wind like this student…but there's one thing that caught my *chuckles* companions' attention: On the night of the new moon, this one wind fairy transformed into a vampire.

Kayla: (Squirms out of her mother's arms and stands up) Scarlet's alive!

Cian: (Steps towards her and nods his head) She traveled to the realm of Magix and is attending Alfea College.

Kayla: How'd she get there? Is she alright?

Cian: (Places a hand on her shoulder, but Lolita swiftly pulls the princess back) There there, warrior. (Focuses on Kayla's questions again) I don't know how, but Scarlet Avila had entered Magix and is now within a group called "The Winx Club"

Damian: The new Company of Light.

Cian: Very good! You and I are now on the same page. The new company, or rather, this club has opened their arms to welcome her in.

Lolita: And what of the fairy's vampire transformation? Does the Company of Light know of it?

Cian: Yes they do. (Lolita looks at Damian, which he understands is her worried look) However, they do not fear her in any way.

Lolita: (cautious to believe him) You're kidding.

Cian: When do I kid?

Damian: Leave our daughter out of this. She's nothing to you.

Cian: Oh I disagree, Damian. Once I heard that an Inter-Realms student escaped, I asked for blood. Then I got one sample from my silent-takers and discovered that this new girl appeared from a different place and is a wind fairy and a vampire. Her name: Scarlet Avila. Now, in an ideal world, I would ask my companions and creatures to attack only Scarlet so I can compare blood samples…but where's the fun in that? By having the blood of the new Company of Light, they will be under my control, I can easily draw out Scarlet's blood and see if this vampire is the one I'm looking for.

Damian: She's not, Cian, she's only half vampire. The Balance has to be a full blooded vampire with light and dark magic.

Cian: Damian, you astound me. You of all people should know that there's no such thing as a "half" vampire. Our venom's too strong to take over half a person. (starts laughing) I must say, it's funny how you've deceived yourself all these years.

Lolita: There is such thing as a half vampire. She's called my daughter.

Cian: Lolita, do you really believe that Scarlet's only half vampire? Did I also tell you about this new power erupting through her?

Lolita: (Swiftly places her fingers around Cian's neck, beginning to choke him) Get out. You insist on keeping us as your prisoner, fine. But don't you dare speak of my daughter like you know her better than we do.

Cian: (Gently lowers Lolita's hand as she lets him go) Very well. (he leaves)

[Meanwhile, back at Alfea…]

A familiar sound echoed within my ears. _This song again? Why am I hearing it now? _The silver mist that was around me disappeared as I found myself at the Lake of Wonders. I looked down at my body and noticed my vampire winx outfit. _My vampire winx? Can't I just be in my regular clothes? _I followed the song till I saw a girl with long, wavy, blonde hair playing song. She was in a pink halter top with a green skirt that had purple lining. As I got closer to her, I noticed that she was playing the flute. It's a pretty wind instrument that was perfect for this melody. As usual, the wind was blowing our long hair in the same direction, carrying her song with it. Suddenly, she stopped playing and lowered her hands. She turned to looks at me with her dark, black eyes and smiled.

"At last, we meet," She said in the wind, "How I've dreamt of this day…" The wind suddenly picked up again and I tried to go after her, but as I reached out shouting,

"Wait!"

I find that I'm sitting up in my bed short of breath (again) and drenched in sweat (again), but this time I was reaching for something…and again I couldn't remember what!

_This whole not remembering my dream thing is driving me crazy._ I took a deep breath as a familiar scent filled my nose. I turned to my left and found Flora's pitcher of Floro Vapian blood and a glass next to it filled to the brim with the crimson colored liquid. Without hesitation is chugged it down. It was apparently chilled a bit, for it was thicker and cooler than usual. Either way I helped myself to another helping. Once my thirst was quenched, I slowly got out of bed and wandered around the room. I noticed that the curtains were drawn closed with a crack allowing the sun ray to pour into the room.

_Probably mid-day or something,_ I thought as I approached the ray of light. Once it hit my skin, I felt its warmth. _Another good thing about being only half vampire is that I don't have to worry about spells to protect me while I'm out in the sun._ I kept it away from my eye though, since they were super sensitive to the light.

My feet wandered around and guided me towards the common room, which was empty. There were spell books lying around open to different pages. A smile grew across my face. _I guess the girls were looking through the books to find something useful for themselves._ As I approached my books, I heard the front door open and voice traipsing in. The Winx said my name at different times and came towards me, Flora in the lead.

"Sweetie, are you hurt anywhere? Are you feeling better?" She asked as she inspected me for cuts and bruises.

"I'm fine Flora."

"Did you drink my potion?"

"Yes I did. I had two glasses." Flora sighed in relief. I looked over to Stella and smiled. "How're you feeling?"

"I feel perfectly beautiful," Stella answered, flicking her long blonde hair and winking at me. "Thanks for the save."

"You're very welcome."

"You did lose a lot of blood," Tecna reminded us, "Because of the mysterious liquid, none of us were able to go near it to stop the bleeding."

"It's funny you mention that," Stella replied, "I still feel like I've lost something, or rather, that something's missing."

"That's odd, considering that you heart should be pumping in new blood to replace whatever you've lost. It's the most logical explanation."

"Although it is, it doesn't feel like it."

"You know, Stella, maybe tonight you can talk to Ms. Griffin about whatever it is you're feeling," Layla suggested

"Why?" Musa asked, "I don't remember Ms. Griffin being the type of person to talk about feelings."

"I'm not sure, but there might be something in that liquid that's causing you to feel like you've lost something. Like something lowering your defense for when the witches attack next."

"Well I think it's something we should talk to Ms. Griffin about," Bloom agreed, "But for now we've got something else to worry about."

"What's that?" Musa asked.

"Our final trimester one exam." We all groaned, especially Stella.

"A final exam? All we've been doing is fighting witches and figuring out vampire spells and traveling to Cloud Tower so late at night. How the hell do we have time to prepare for our exam?"

"It doesn't sound so bad," I said, twirling my long hair, "It's only our first fairy stages, right? We've already passed a year of it, so it shouldn't be that difficult."

"Easy for you to say," Stella replied, "You're school whipped you into shape for tests. Here it's so easy to not do work and do more important things."

"Stella, this is an important step to perfecting our enchantix. It's a big deal."

"Easier said than done, Tecna," Musa pointed out.

"After this is our charmix, right?" Flora asked, "But we've already conquered our biggest tasks. Do we have to do that all over again?"

"Nothing to worry about," Layla replied, "For now let's just past this exam. We can worry about Charmix later." She then turned to me, placed her hands on her hips, and smiled. "You're hair looks really good long. You should consider keeping it." I shook my head as she sighed in disappointment. I ran into the bathroom, cut my hair, and came back out.

"So, what happened yesterday? I don't remember anything passed catching Stella." Bloom (as leader I guess) took the liberty in telling all that happened and what Nabu had told them.

"You mean he can sense my intensions whether good or bad?"

"That's right!" Layla said with pride, "He can sense your magic, which can help us tame your vampire side if you go berserk on us again." I felt a wave a relief flow over me. "So all this monster crap should be out of your head for good." I nodded and looked up at my friends.

"I should probably get ready for a night at Cloud Tower. Now, again, you don't have to come with me if you don't want to."

"What're you talking about?" Tecna asked, "the fact that fairies are working with witches is a major point in time. It's history that we're makin' here." I smiled and decided to give up. They wanted to go, then that's great! A light ringtone suddenly filled the room. My body temperature rose as Stella gave me a sly look.

"Now who could that be?" I glared at her for a second before relocating in my room for some privacy while reaching my hand in my pocket to find my phone. Once I found it, I took a deep breath and hit "receive".

"Hello?" I said.

"_Since I didn't think that you'd call me anytime soon, I thought that I'd be the mature one and call first_." The heat in my body stirred with annoyance.

"Mature one?" I repeated, "I'm not the one who kisses a girl and leaves her hanging with mixed feeling for about a week, Matt." I heard him chuckle on the other end. His chuckle made me feel relieved, especially since his weird attack that happened yesterday. None of us know the cause yet, but I was worried.

"How're you feeling? From yesterday, I mean."

"_Better. The nurse here told me to take it easy. He said if he catches me doing any heroic stuff that he's gonna tie me to my bed. I think he's hitting on me._"

"I'm just glad that you're feeling better. Do remember at all what happened?"

"_All I remember was that I was standing and breathing normally one moment and the next I'm gasping for air because my heart had trouble functioning. Then I passed out._"

"You and me. I keep fainting and I worry my friends."

"_Well you're allowed to faint. I can catch you that way_." Another heat wave traipsed over my body.

"I'm not used to you saying stuff like that."

"_Well think about it, if I don't catch you, you're gonna leave an imprint wherever you land. It would be embarrassing_." I didn't even respond. He was laughing on the other end as I interrupted,

"Did you only call to mock me?"

"_No. I actually called to ask you out on a date._"

"Seriously?"

"_Yeah. There're places we can go to in town to eat, catch a movie, maybe do some combat battles to see who's better, etc._" I couldn't help but laugh.

"You're on."

"_Great. How about later this week? I can call you later with what days and time_."

"Sure. Oh, wait…I can't go out on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and any night of the new moon."

"_Why?"_

"If we're up against someone with powerful magic, it's in the Winx's best interest to learn both light and dark magic. So three times a week and at the point when dark magic is best is the time to practice dark magic." I pinched my lips together because I slightly lied about the last past. Dark magic is just better at night and works with the moon, period.

"_How daring. Good to know. So I'm thinking Saturday night then._"

"That sounds great."

"_Good. I'll talk to later. Oh, and wear something sexy. _"

"WHAT?" With that I heard a click on the other end and I felt my face become on fire. Suddenly, all six girls fell into my room looking at me with curiosity.

"What happened?" Musa asked, "We heard you scream."

"Matt just asked me out on a date." The girls screamed with joy. "And…" They all stopped and leaned in to listen. "…he wants me to wear something sexy." Stella's smile turned into an evil grin.

"Darling, I'm more than happy to help."

[Meanwhile…At Red Fountain…]

(Matt leaves his room and starts to wander. He then bumps into Riven)

Riven: Hey, you shouldn't be walking around. The nurse told you to relax.

Matt: Don't worry, I am. I'm just talking a little walk. Clear my head. (Riven nods, but it's clear that he's not listening) Is something wrong?

Riven: It's just that…It's that Scarlet's girl's fault that you're hurt.

Matt: (Rolls his eyes) Oh god, not this shit again.

Riven: Listen, Matt, I know you don't wanna believe me, but you have to! Because you defended her, you got badly hurt. And why was that? Because she was weak.

Matt: She's not weak. Sometimes hiding and creating a dark magic spell in order to protect your team is more important than a head on attack.

Riven: Why did you defend her?

Matt: Because I wanted to.

Riven: You shouldn't have, Matt. Because of this now-

Matt: Hey, we had a deal.

Riven: What deal?

Matt: I told you that I'd stop being interested in Scarlet if you stopped dating Musa. It was clear when you offered yourself in her place that you'd made your decision. And because you chose Musa, that means that I can do whatever I want to Scarlet.

Riven: (Grits his teeth with his hands clenched in fists) Musa's a part of me.

Matt: Clearly. I applaud you for choosing a girl over me. It shows that you're growing up.

Riven: Just stay away from Scarlet!

Matt: (begins to walk past him, but Riven prevents him from passing through) Step aside.

Riven: No.

(Matt punches Riven in the stomach and the two start fighting. Nabu appears and breaks up the fight)

Nabu: What's going on with you two?

Riven: Nothing.

Matt: Yeah, nothing. (He leaves and then bumps into Brandon)

Brandon: Hey Matt. You look pissed.

Matt: Well when Riven gets in the way of you and a girl you're interested in, you get pissed off easily.

Brandon: (places a grin on his face and nudges Matt) So you finally made a move on Scarlet?

Matt: Yeah, I asked her out on a date.

Brandon: Well done. When Stella and I first went out, I had to pull some strings to impress her. You see, at that time, Sky and I had to switch places for his own safety, so when the two of us found our girls, we felt bad lying to them about who we really were.

Matt: Stella must've been pissed as hell with you.

Brandon: She was. Luckily, we were in battle with the Trix, so her focus was more on Bloom and her friends than anything else.

Matt: Well look at that. A princess will love anyone.

Brandon: I was a bit worried because I truly loved her, so the thought of losing her because I wasn't rich broke my heart. Luckily Stella loves me for me and wants me in her life.

Matt: (Laughs a bit) That was corny of you to say.

Brandon: True. But what about you? I know you two are just starting, but how're you and Scarlet doin'?

Matt: Riven keeps saying that she's a monster of some sort. I just don't get it.

Brandon: Well Scarlet learning black magic freaks Riven out. You of all people know the frustration and anger he feels towards people who practice dark magic. Maybe that and the whole club learning it scares him.

Matt: He doesn't wanna lose Musa.

Brandon: None of us wanna lose our girl.

Matt: (Pauses) What do you think about Scarlet?

Brandon: She can get a little outta control with her black magic, but her heart's in the right place. Plus, she saved Stella. That's enough proof for me to know that she's a good person.

Matt: (Nods as he processes Brandon's answer) Thanks.

Brandon: And if you need help with how to dress for your date, Stella gave me some tips that I can pass on to you.

Matt: (laughs) No thanks, man.

[Back to the Winx Club…at Cloud Tower…]

"This is the second time I've seen the beauty of Cloud Tower," I commented.

"What beauty are you talking about?" Stella asked in disgust. "It's a living creature that teaches girls how to not dress properly."

"Come on, Stella, we can't think negatively this time," Bloom pointed out, "Remember how two years ago when we were here to protect the codex we couldn't because of our lack of team work?"

"We have to work through the negative energy in order to learn black magic properly," Layla added.

"Well, we're not learning anything by standing around," Musa replied as we all started up on the bridge.

"I'm glad that we left the pixi's behind," Flora mentioned while looking behind her.

"All except for me and Zing, of course."

"Luna and Zing: The two pixies that can withstand the negative energies of Cloud tower."

"Flora, you give us such an introduction."

"Though why can't the pixies follow us to cloud tower now? I mean, they were able to head down towards Lord Darkar's layer without much of a problem."

"That's because the magic that surrounded Darkar's place wasn't made of pure dark magic. It was just surrounded in it," Tecna answered, "Cloud Tower, on the other hand, was made by ancient witches long ago and is alive."

"The alive part makes the difference," Layla added. As we continued walking, I froze and placed my hands over my teeth. I began to feel them aching again. The girls carefully surrounded me, Bloom and Musa on either side of me.

"This is weird," I said as I got use to the aching pain, "Why's my body ready to transform when there's no blood present?" Tecna pulled out her ladybug gadget and had it scan me. Once it returned to its main source, she examined it.

"It appears that the negative energy here is affecting your vampire traits, thus causing you to transform."

"That's never happened to me before."

"Actually, your two vampire break outs were based off of built up negative energy. I'm actually not surprised that you're changing now."

"So now whenever I use dark magic I'm gonna transform?" I felt my stomach tie itself up in a knot, "That's so unfair."

"But Scarlet, that's why we're here. To figure that out." Tecna took my hand and pulled me forward. "Maybe if you just allow yourself to transform when your body wants to, you won't feel as much pain anymore." With a push from Musa and Bloom and a pull from Tecna, my feet carried me closer to the castle and I just allowed myself to change. I've never done that before, actually. Normally I contain it and explode with a quick transformation, but as we walked and I stopped holding back, I noticed my teeth slowly growing along with my hair.

"This is fascinating to watch," Flora mentioned behind me, "You're hair just grows longer every time I see it."

"How're you feeling?" Tecna asked.

"Alright, actually. Nothing's hurting and everything's taking it's time."

"See, isn't it much easier transforming when your body wants you to?"

"I guess, but I can't do it often."

"Let's worry about that later," Layla replied, "You've gotta learn how to worry about only what's in front of you. And if that's nothing, then enjoy being here. This in and of itself is an adventure, right?"

"Yeah, I've never been taught by a professional professor. Only by my dad." Throughout the rest of the walk, Layla kept on making me focus on going through the night without killing myself.

"I just hope that this potion's really gonna work," Stella whined.

"It will," Flora said in her defense. "I've tested it out already by studying for our final and I did it successfully."

"Well if I find one wrinkle from lack of sleep-"

"-Do you think turning on your own teammate is going to help anything?" We all looked around our surroundings at the sound of Ms. Griffin's voice. "We witches never rely on teammates for that exact reason. Over here girls." Before the front doors of Cloud Tower was Ms. Griffin in all her glory. "I see that you've already transformed, Scarlet."

"According to Tecna, the negative energy here triggered my transformation."

"Tecan's absolutely right. Now, let's head on over to my office. There we can discuss the night's schedule." The grand doors of Cloud Tower opened and the seven of us followed the head witchress into her school. I noticed some students still up and about looking at my friends with disgust. However, whenever their eyes met mine, I noticed that there was respect rather than disgust, though they were probably wondering why I was with fairies and not with my own kind. Oh boy.

We finally reached Ms. Griffin's office, which was like every other headmistress, witchress, or master's office: Big with books and objects to spy on students. Once Ms. Griffin sat in her big dark chair, she said, "Now, I'm going to work with Scarlet on certain techniques to help her out in her vampire form. What do you girls think you're going to do in the mean time?"

"Actually, professor, I was wondering about this mysterious liquid that I'm having trouble analyzing. I found it on one of the specialist's when they were wounded and the same one on Stella yesterday."

"If you can't figure it out then that must mean that it's an ancient dark magic spell of some sort. I'd start by looking in the library here. Look through our basic spell history books first and from there you can work back in time to find the exact purpose of that substance." Tecna nodded. "Anyone else?" We all turned to Stella, who looked like she didn't want to say anything. Ms. Griffin looked at her and asked, "Stella, is there something you want o practice?"

"Come on, Stella," I heard Bloom whisper, "Tell her about what you told us." Stella whined as she stepped forward. She explained how she felt like something was missing from her, even though she felt perfectly healthy.

"Unfortunately, I can't help you. If we know more about why you feel this way, then maybe I can help." Stella nodded in disappointment as Ms. Griffin rose from her desk. "Now then, besides Tecna I assume you girls wish to learn some dark magic of your own." They all nodded as she looked through her shelves of books.

"We've used some spells from Scarlet's books before, Professor," Flora mentioned, "Or rather I have for a potion I was working on." Ms. Griffin finally chose a book and flipped through the pages quickly before snapping it shut and putting back on the shelf.

"There's only one professor teaching this late and that's me. I can't teach you all along with Scarlet and her vampire needs."

"Then why're we here if you can't help us?" Stella barked. Ms. Griffin faced her and glared her down.

"Because you girls seem to really want to work together and trust each other enough to be there for one another." Stella crossed her arms and began to pout while Ms. Griffin's facial expression changed. "This is what I was looking for." She pulled a fat old book from the shelf. Following it was a trail of dust, indicating that the book had not been touched for many years, maybe even centuries. As she looked through it, with the leather binding falling apart, I turned to the girls, who seem to have braced themselves for whatever Ms. Griffin was going to perform.

"There it is," she said, carrying the book in one arm. With her free hand, she plucked one strand of her dark purple hair. She held it as far away from her as possible and recited, "Copyonous creaturite." Her little strand began to shine and grow. As she let go, my mouth fell wide open as I saw the strand take the shape of a person. Not just any person, but Ms. Griffin herself. Griffin two opened her eyes and smiled at us.

"Now I can teach the five of you while also teaching Scarlet," she said.

"Two Ms. Griffin's?" I heard Stella mutter, "Again, one headwitchress is bad enough." Luckily, none of the two Griffin's heard. The first one stepped around the table and to my side.

"Now Scarlet, shall we begin with your training?" I nodded and followed her out of her office, quickly waving bye to my friends. I'll admit that it was awkward walking behind Ms. Griffin than Griselda (and that's saying something). Luna was flying next to me and I couldn't help but noticed that she felt as tense as I was. Finally we reached what I assumed was her classroom. It was large and ever step had chair backs on them. Once I was at the bottom of the steps, Ms. Griffin told me to stand there. She took a few more steps before turning around and facing me.

"I'm glad that we're doing this," She began, "I can now see how you fight and what spells you're using."

"It's not much."

"Our goal here is to try and unlock your vampire powers that appear to be seeping through you. However, since you're not a student here and you're new to the Winx girls, I don't know your power very well. Since your appearance here in Magix I've been doing some research about vampires and their power. Like witches and fairies, each vampire is different with different powers. The question here is what's yours?"

"Is it possible that my vampire powers could be wind related?"

"Very possible. But I won't know for sure until I see you use dark magic." Ms. Griffin had her hands open as dark purple glow balls appeared. "Let's begin."

[Meanwhile…with Tecna…]

(Looks through the messy Cloud Tower library)

Tecna: Thanks for coming with me, Zing.

Zing: No problem, Tec. You also never know when witches will wanna fight you for kicks.

Tecna: (Rolls her eyes) Well I'm glad that I've got you around. (Looks through the shelves) Man these witches are beyond messy. Stella would have a field day in just cleaning this stuff up.

Zing: More like Tune would. She hates messes.

Tecna: (continues to search when she pulls out a book called _Forever the Spell of Sacrifice_) "Spell of Sacrifice", huh. (Opens the book and looks through it)

Zing: (dresses up as Indiana Jones) Did you find anything?

Tecna: I'm not sure. (Pulls out her hand computer and types away while looking back and forth through the book) I'm seeing a lot of spells about the user giving up something in order to cast a spell, whether it's hair, or flesh, or blood- (stops mid-sentence) Wait a second! (searches through the book to the sacrifices involving blood. Zing hovers over, protecting Tecna in case the book or her discovery was a trap) I think I found it. (reads) "Blood control: dip the weapon of your choice (preferably something with a blade) in a jar of your own blood completely while reciting the incantation below. '_Blood of mine, coat this blade, and let it do its task: replace a creature's blood with mine and let their life be in my grasp._' After this, lift your weapon from the jar and allow your blood drip from it. Slowly, the blood should turn clear and harden around the blade. Then use this weapon on the victim of your choice. Once their blood has touched the blade, then you're ready to control them. Recite, '_By the power given to us by the vampire sorcerers from long ago, control the mortal whose blood has touched our blade_.'" That's what the Trix said before Matt collapsed.

Zing: This doesn't seem good at all.

Tecna: (types some more before closing both the computer and the book) I've gotta warn the girls. Stella was cut by that blade. She might be now under the blood control.

[Back to Scarlet…]

I was stuck in a negative energy dimension and it was my goal to get out. I first tried to absorb the negative energy to create an opening, but that only hurt me. I tried using my ribbon strike to cut the dimension open, but that only worked for about ten milliseconds. The negative energy began to sink into my body, weighing me down and causing me to not think clearly. I took a few deep breaths and began to see color spots sparkle before my eyes.

_Maybe I'm thirsty. I don't have any of Flora's potion with me, so my blood will have to do._ I brought my fang to my wrist and quickly drew it back, feeling the burning pain of the new cut and my warm blood dripping out. I placed my mouth over the cut and began to drink the sweet syrup liquid that ran down my throat. The negative energy that seeped into my body quickly evaporated and I began to feel powerful again. When I pulled my mouth away from my wrists, I wiped away the blood running down my chin. Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

I took off the ribbon that was in my hair and wiped it on the bleeding cut. Once my silver ribbon was stained scarlet, I pulled it back and shouted, "Ribbon Strike!" Using my ribbon as a whip, I slashed open the dimension once again and said, "Jomox." With my speed increasing drastically, I was able to get through the dimension and back in Ms. Griffin's classroom.

"Well done, Scarlet," She said while writing down her notes, "You're doing much better than I thought you would."

"Thank you," I replied while tying my ribbon back in my hair.

"I think a break's in order. I must go over my notes and you must rest up for more training."

"What type of notes are you taking?" Ms. Griffin gave me a confused look as I awkwardly shifted in place. "Last time you mentioned that I had the strength of a full vampire. Is that true?"

"I'm pretty sure it's true. However I'm not one hundred percent sure. That's what I'm trying to find out." My heart sank and I lowered my head. "Scarlet, I want you to know that if you do have the strength of a vampire, it's not something to be ashamed of. Once you're able to control it, you'll have a large amount of power that might be strong enough to save your planet. Now let's go." I followed Ms. Griffin out of her classroom and transformed back into my normal clothes. As I followed her, I noticed more witches looking at me in awe. Probably feeling how much negative energy was through me and believed me to be something special than a fairy (which is fine with me as long as there's no fight).

Finally we ended up in where I believe was the dining hall. The Winx were in the center and came running towards me when I entered. They appeared tired, but smiles were still blooming on their faces.

"How'd it go?" Musa asked.

"She did very well," Ms. Griffin answered for me, "And you five?"

"They also did extremely well," Answered the second Griffin.

"Excellent. Now if Tecna's done in the library, you girls may take a break and then it's back to training. The two of us must compare notes." As the Ms. Griffins left, Stella plopped into a chair.

"Man, this is so hard. I'd rather just take my final exam now than do what we're doing."

"What'd she make you do?" I asked.

"Torturous things!"

"It actually wasn't that bad," Bloom answered as we all ignored Stella and her complaining, "It was a lot of random attacking and spell creating and dealing with negative energy. You know, stuff like that."

"It was harder than the spells in your books," Flora added, "I didn't have trouble using those at all."

"Well that's because those books are like beginners books. It's basic spells that anyone could do."

"Girls!" We turned around to face the entrance and Zing and Tecna ran in.

"What's up?" Luna asked.

"Tecna just found a blood control spell," Zing answered.

"You what?"

"It's true, I found out about the mysterious liquid."

"Well what is it, Tecna?" Bloom asked eagerly.

"It's Cian's blood. In order to work the spell, the user has to give up blood to wrap around a weapon."

"GROSS!" Stella shouted while jumping out of her chair, "I had Cian's blood on me?"

"I couldn't even smell it," I mentioned, "Are you sure."

"Yes. I'm one hundred percent sure. See, when Icy's blade cut Stella, Cian's blood entered Stella's body."

"EW!"

"And the same thing happened with Matt. When he grabbed the blade and cut himself, Cian's blood entered his body."

"What does this mean, though?" Layla asked.

"Blood control. Cian's blood is inside Stella and Matt. That's why after the witches recited their incantation, only Matt was affected." My stomach began to move uncomfortably in my body as my heart pounded with anger.

"Are you telling me that if those witches use the spell again, then I could end up like Matt?"

"Unfortunately, yes, Stella. However, what the Trix have been doing is nothing compared to the major spell, which can only be used once."

"The major spell?" Musa repeated, "So what has he been using this whole time?"

"I'm not sure."

"It sounds like he's figured out a way to only use a little bit of it to weaken us," Bloom thought allowed.

"And that lowers our numbers," Layla pointed out, "It seems that he's trying to weaken us one-by-one."

A sharp negative electrical chill ran through my body. My vampire instincts kicked in and I sensed darker energy around us.

"We're not alone," I announced quietly to the girls. Without saying a word, we faced our backs to one another and looked around the dining hall.

"Is it possible that Ms. Griffin's testing us?" Flora asked.

"Maybe, maybe not," Said a familiar chilling voice, "It doesn't matter though because we're here." Around us came the Trix, pouring through the walls. Fury was in front of me with a grin on her face.

"Perfect. You're in your vampire form and we can get revenge on you from last time."

"Last time?" I repeated.

"Don't play innocence with us, it's pathetic." She came closer as I raised my fists prepared to fight. "You and your vampire powers tried to fight all four of us."

"But you fled before she could finish you off," Musa added, "So there's no reason for you to hold a grudge when she hasn't done anything drastic towards you."

"Enough talk," Stormy replied, "The sooner we get your blood the sooner that you'll be out of our way." I watched as Fury (and I'm guessing the other witches) followed Stormy's example in summoning their blades.

"Be careful," Tecna reminded us, "We've gotta stay away from their blades."

"Alright girls," Bloom said, "Let's transform."

"Magic Winx!" Ribbons and faint winds wrapped around me as I found myself in vampire winx form yet again.

"This might be a good time to put what we learned into practice," Flora advised.

"I'm cool with that," Layla second, "Scarlet, you in?"

"I'll do my best to follow." The seven of us flew in the air, keeping our circle together. I watched the witches starting to move counterclockwise with their evil grins on their faces. As they began to pick up speed, their different grins and evil eyes formed as one blur. Together I heard them say, "Illusion!" Suddenly, we were cloaked in darkness.

"Stay close together!" I heard Bloom cry out. I flew backwards towards the center of the circle and felt shoulders on either side of me.

"Is this that darkness spell again?" Stella asked, "Because I can certainly shine some light in."

"It's different," I said, feeling my heart shake with fear. "The negative energy here, it's different from the one in Cloud Tower." I closed my eyes tightly while praying, _I hope I don't transform again. I need to protect my friends_.

"I do feel the difference," Flora mentioned, "It's very contained, like the energy is trying to break through because this place is too small for it."

I suddenly began to hear my heart beat grow.

"No!" I shouted, placing my hand over my chest and rolling my body into a ball.

"Scarlet, are you-" But Musa was interrupted by the crackling of the witches.

"So out of all of you, the weakest and the fairy most terrified of this atmosphere…is Scarlet."

"She's not weak!" Layla shouted in my defense, but that only made the witches laugh harder.

"Oh no?" I heard Darcy say, "Then watch this!" I felt a familiar pulse that filled by body with tons of negative energy. It slashed the inside of my body as I screamed in pain.

"Sun Strike!" The negative pain slowly began to cease within my body as I heard Stella shout out, "You dare try to torture her again and I'll make sure it's _you_ I burn with the Solarian sun power." The four witches crackled again as Stella began to glow with anger.

"By the power given to us by the vampire sorcerers from long ago, control the mortal whose blood has touched our blade!" Stella's glow quickly faded as she suddenly fell into the darkness. Bloom flew after her while I did my best to control my anger.

"They're using the blood control spell to weaken Stella," Tecna announced.

"Alright," I began as I gathered up the negative energy around me, "Time to get outta here."

"Right, let's show these witches how we Winx can use black magic."

"Well said, Layla," Musa chimed in. I felt some of the negative energy wrap within her hand as a dark pink ball grew.

"I don't know what type of magic to use," Tecna shouted, "But I can enhance your powers greatly."

"Then power us up!" I shouted.

"Power boost!" Tecna said. I began to feel a slight buzzing underneath my skin as my powers began to grow.

"We're not gonna let you knats get in the way!" Stormy shouted from all around. Lightning struck us and I screamed in pain. Still, since I was absorbing energy already, Stormy's lightning was sucked in. It shocked me all over and tears gather in my eyes because of the pain, but soon I was able to place Stormy's electricity within my hands. I stretched my hands out and released the electric shock outwards into the darkness that surrounded us.

"Ow!" I heard all four witches scream. I stared at the darkness in confusion as I looked over at my friends. Tecna's face began to light up.

"I got it!" Tecna shouted, "Aim your attacks outward. The witches are spinning to the point where they're surrounding this whole place.

"Can we stop them from spinning?" Flora asked.

"It's worth a try." Before anything could happen, everything grew really cold and I noticed my limbs not being able to move.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. My eyes fell upon my right wrist, which had a scarlet colored line across it. _That's right! I never healed my wound!_ _Maybe I can…_ For the first time in my life, I focused on my heart beat. I focused on its pumps, inserting negative energy into it, so that with each flow of blood, the negative energy allowed me to control it. It actually burned, me beneath my skin and I felt beads of sweat forming throughout my body. The ice that had captured my arms and legs began to sizzle and slowly began to drip.

"GAH!"

"Layla!" Musa cried. I turned my head as Layla continued to scream.

"It's burning me! It's burning me."

_Faster! Come on! Faster!_ I focused more on my energy and felt the ice slipping faster.

"AH!"

"Tecna" Flora shouted.

"Shit, I didn't see their blades coming…"

_Shit, they're winning!_ My blood was boiling now, turning the ice into nothing but steam. _They're hurting my friends, but I can't lose my focus._ I felt myself slipping away as I tried to control the power within me.

"_Easy, Scar, you're gonna hurt someone if you don't calm down_."

_That voice! _

"_Just breathe in the air surrounding you. You can stop this circle." _

_Who are you? Why're you even helping me? A vampire of all creatures. _

"_Because I know you're not killer. If you don't calm down and destroy this circle, it'll be more than Layla and Tecna that you're going to lose." _

_What're you talk-_

"_Just do it!" _

I took a deep breath and felt my magic calming down once more. _This negative energy is changing me into a monster. I can feel it…wait a second!_ I began to remember the witches talking about weakest and most scared member. They said that it was me.

"There's so much negative energy because I become a monster if I'm exposed to too much of it." My friends looked at me with confusion. "This is my fear. The witches are able to see who's scared by them the most. I'm guessing that's me." Tecna and Layla screamed in pain once more. I felt a familiar method creeping into my mind. "Alright, Bloom's got Stella safe somewhere, Musa, you've got Layla and Flora Tecna. I'll stop the circle." With my back facing the girls and my Inter-Realms attitude in place, I was ready to fight. I outstretched my arms and formed an "X" with my right over my left. Because of Icy's ice, my cut reopened and the smell was enough to awaken something within me. A silver light of a circle formed in front of my fingers as I followed them, unwinding my arms. As I followed the lines, I noticed my blood replaced the silver color and shone a bright scarlet color. My arms eventually re-crossed with my right arm under and the now bright scarlet circle began to spin. I pulled my arms back in total shock.

_What the hell was I doing just now?_ The scarlet ring continued to spin in a clockwise direction.

"Scarlet, what're you doing?" Flora asked.

"To be honest, I have no idea."

"Can you heal Layla and Tecna first?" Musa asked, "We can't touch the clear liquid stuff." Quickly, I grabbed the ring and flew towards my friends. Layla and Tecna were slashed by their sides and I saw the clear liquid, which stayed away from the blood like always.

"And this is supposed to be Cian's blood?" I asked, trying to think of a way to get the liquid off.

"That's what Tecna said, right?" Flora asked back.

"Well, let's try vampire blood with vampire blood." I brought the circle close to the liquid on Tecna's side and before it could even touch it, Cian's blood rose onto the ring. We all watched as Tecna's blood began to fill in where Cian's was. I did the same thing to Layla's wound and the results were the same. Their blood smelled so good that my mouth began to water, but I had no time to think about drinking my friends' blood.

"I hope it's off," I said as I placed the ring on my left arm and brought my right hand to my fangs. My healing ointment poured out like it was coming out of a faucet (which surprised me a bit) and as I rubbed it on both hands, the witches spoke,

"We're not gonna let you leave until we've got all your blood!" I heard blades being summoned and I was ready to protect us, but an orange glow surrounded us instead.

"You're not gonna take us down that easily," I heard Bloom shout. I looked below me and noticed that she was carrying Stella with her left arm and launching the shield with her right.

"Scarlet!" Musa replied, grabbing my attention. I placed the ointment over Layla and Tecna's cuts and watched it heal.

"You guys handled that pain very well," Flora commented.

"Doesn't matter," Tecna replied, "Now they've got my blood."

"And mine," Layla added, "That really hurt." She looked at me with a questioning look and pointed to my scarlet ring. "What's that?"

"I don't know. But I used it to take Cian's blood off of you."

"How'd you do that?" Tecna asked.

"Girls," Bloom said, interrupting the conversation flow, "We need to get outta here. Stella can't breathe." I watched Stella turning blue as she tried to gasp for air. I took the scarlet ring off my arm and grasped it tightly in my hand.

_What can I do? It's because I was the weakest and most scared that we're in this mess. There must be a way!_ I closed my eyes and tried to look through my library of spells when a memory popped into my head instead. It was when I forced the silent-takers to go away. My blood did that.

"That's it!" Before the girls could respond, I held the ring in front of me, turn it counterclockwise as if winding it, and spun it clockwise. It spun fast as I smeared some of my blood from my right wrist onto my left hand. Palm facing the ring, I used my magic to push the ring into the darkness in front of me.

At first nothing happened, but then the witches began to shout, "What's happening?"

The darkness that surrounded us slowly disappeared as I saw Cloud Tower's dining hall appear before me. It looked as if we hadn't flown anywhere except a few feet off the ground. The Trix were on their hands and knees, holding their heads because of the dizziness of spinning.

"W-what happened?" Darcy asked as she tried to walk straight and wobbled on the way.

"I dunno," Stormy answered like she was drunk. She walked like one too. The two crashed into each other and landed on their butts.

"I don't think I'm feeling that well," Fury said, wrapping her arms around her stomach. Her spinning eyes tried to focus on me as she spoke, "You bitch. What the fuck did you-" But she fell over before she could finish her sentence.

"Cian didn't mention anything about counter spinning," Icy replied to Fury weakly, "But at least we got what we needed. Let's get outta here." I launched myself towards them to try and stop them, but they had disappeared before I could get to them.

"Damn it." My ears suddenly picked up deep groaning from behind me. I turned around and saw the specialists standing up from battle.

"Agh!" Riven shouted, "I got…sliced and…it burns like hell." Musa quickly ran over to his side and examined his arm. She looked at me with tears gathering in her eyes. Without another word, I flew to Riven and took care of his wound.

"Scarlet, Helia needs you too," Flora cried.

"And Sky." One by one I went to the specialists who were injured.

"Why're you guys even here?" I asked as I finished healing Sky.

"Matt said that he sensed the witches attacking Cloud Tower and said that you girls were gonna be here," Brandon answered, carrying Stella within his arms.

"Matt?" I asked in fear that he'd see me like this.

"He passed out again," Nabu replied. I turned to face him as he shook his head. "The witches recited that incantation and he began to have breathing problems."

"The same happened to Stella," Bloom added. Brandon's grip on her tightened as he pressed his cheek against her head.

"Are they gonna be alright?" I asked, my voice getting a little higher by the second.

"I was able to place a spell to supply oxygen into their lungs," Nabu answered, "They'll be alright. While you heal one set of patients, I try to heal the other." He smiled to make me feel better, but I looked away.

"How'd you guys hurt yourselves?" Bloom asked, helping Sky sit up.

"Well, there was this black thing that you girls were in. It was like a black tornado," he answered. "Nabu said that the tornado was the witches themselves, so when we attacked, they had their blades ready and got some of us." I noticed Bloom's eyes filling with tears as she hugged Sky.

"Hey, I'm alright. I can handle this sorta thing." I turned to Flora, who had tears streaming down her face.

"You shouldn't have come, we can take care of ourselves." Helia placed his hand over her head and pulled her in for a hug.

"We don't regret coming, even if we hurt ourselves in the end."

"Where's Matt?" I asked, not being able to handle everyone's sadness anymore. Nabu nodded his head towards my left and behind Helia was Matt, passed out on the floor. I quickly ran to him and was able to get him in my arms. My hand was over his faint beating heart as his beautiful dark brown hair fell over my arm.

_Even unconscious because of me, he's still really hot_. I tried to smile, but tears gathered in my eyes instead.

"Why," I muttered, "Why am I the one always causing the problem? Why can't I save the people I care about? I failed Aquila, Inter-Realms, Lucentia and Celia, Jeremy, mom and dad, even you guys." I felt everyone's eyes on me as I held Matt close.

"I'm so sorry."

Eventually, Ms. Griffin entered the room and sent us back to Alfea, though the concerned look on her face bothered me. Actually, a lot of things bothered me. Since when did negative energy cause me to transform? Since when did I have powers of a full blooded vampire? How can I be both fairy and vampire when I've got the equal strength of both? Why do I have so many fucking questions rolling around in my mind?

"Scarlet?" I looked behind me to see Flora standing in the doorway of our balcony holding a floral cup in her hands. Steam rising above it, but didn't cover her warm smile. "I made some tea for everyone. Would you like a cup?"

"Maybe later, Flora. I've got too many things flowing through my mind right now." I heard her approach me and passing me the cup.

"That's why I made it; to help ease your mind a bit and relax." When I took the cup she looked up at the sky. "We're really worried about you, Scarlet. Please don't try to go through this on your own." She stepped back and extended her hand towards the balcony door. "Come on inside. It's a little chilly out here at night." I slid off the railing and took a few steps. Suddenly the wind wrapped around me. Flora screamed as I listened to the wind spirits.

"_Follow us. We know what might help ease your pain. You and Winx must follow us." _

The wind suddenly disappeared as I felt my wind current being created on its own.

"What was that?" Flora asked.

"The wind spirits want us to follow it somewhere. They said that they know a place where we can feel at ease."

"Drink up your tea and I'll tell the girls." Flora ran inside as I took a sip, which turned into gulps. My body felt warm by the tea and my mind calmed down. By the time I finished, the Winx Club was ready to ride. We followed the current not knowing where they were leading us. Thanks to the tea, I was more focused on the ride, the wind blowing through my long black hair, the beautiful scenery below me, the laughter of my friends as they did flips, everything!

Finally, the wind current ended and the spirits lowered us to the ground. The girls gasped beauty before them as I remained silent. We were at the Lake of Wonders, where Matt took me before he kissed me. The girls ran forward and few played around in the water, each commenting on different things. As I took a few steps, I heard a new, yet familiar voice in my head.

"_Go have fun. Don't worry about the stuff rolling in your head. Hang out and play with your friends."_ I looked around me to see if anyone was there. When I saw nothing but the dark trees and the navy blue sky, I headed towards my friends.

"Scarlet, what is this place?" Stella asked with a grin on her face while splashing water to surround her, "Because this water's doing wonders for my skin."

"The Lake of Wonders," Tecna answered, "It one of the purest spots in Magix."

"Mother nature is very pleased here," Flora commented, "I've never seen trees and plants so happy before."

"And this water is crystal clear," Layla added, "Even in Andros there aren't lakes as beautiful as these."

"It's like a symphony playing," Musa mentioned, "The wind, the water, the trees, everything."

"My magic is humming at its purity," Bloom replied, "Can you all feel it?" Everyone paused and focused. I tried it too. I closed my eyes and focused on the magic within me. My wind magic was stirring with pleasure and sent out such positive vibes throughout my body. Somehow it replaced and dark energy left within me from the attack at Cloud Tower.

"I feel it," I said suddenly. I looked up at the girls in disbelief, "Such a wonderful feeling of happiness and life. I've never felt something like this before." Stella splashed around some more before shouting,

"Alright! Let's have a water fight! Everyone in!" Everyone began to take off socks and shoes as I watched. Musa noticed that I wasn't following and ran towards me.

"Come on, Scar, let's get you in." With her sound wave, she gently pushed me towards the other girls. I stumbled a bit, surprised by what she'd called me.

"Scar can work as a nick name," Layla mentioned as I started taking off my navy boots. "We've got Stel and Tec, for Stella and Tecna."

"Scar doesn't sound bad at all," Flora concurred. Bloom was the first in after Stella and ran some water through her hair.

"Have you noticed that our names except for Scarlet's and mine end with an 'a'?" She asked. I thought for a moment before realizing that she was right.

"How weird," Musa said, "But it makes sense. I mean, let's face it, Bloom's the one who evil is always after-"

"-And she acts as a good leader," Flora added."

"And Scarlet's now the one who people are after," Layla replied.

"All-in-all," Tecna concluded, "We were meant to form the Winx Club."

"Names and powers and beauty told us that much."

"Names, powers, beauty, and strange strength is more like it, Stella." She thought for a moment before nodding.

"Scar's right! Our names, balance of power, dazzling beauty (though I believe mine shines the most), and mysterious strength is what makes the Winx Club special." I smiled at the thought. Funny how I now accept the fact that these girls love me as much as each other, even though I still felt new and couldn't feel the bond that the mention every now and then. But somehow, that thought rested well with me. If they treat me like they treat each other nothing else should matter.

"You believe that YOU'RE the prettier one?" Bloom questioned.

"But of course, darling, there's no comparison." Layla got up, ran into the lake, gathered some water, and threw it at Stella.

"And I officially declare the water fight to begin!" With that, we all ran in. With my wind powers, I was able to pick up the water to launch it at my friends. Musa created sound waves in the water, which caused legit waves. Flora used underwater plants to soak us in water while Tecna simply position her firewall at an angle to drench us in water from the water fall. Bloom and Stella couldn't use much of their magic in the water, but they were able to make large waves to "drown" us all with the dark spells that they learned. Swimming also occurred in the deep end of the lake. My clothes were filled with water and were so heavy whenever I stood up, but the warm breeze somehow made them feel lighter.

For the first time since my first day at Alfea, even with those question rolling around in my mind and the guilt I had for causing everyone so much trouble, I felt truly happy.

No…I felt like I belonged.


	14. Chapter 14

_Hey readers! Sorry this took forever to post. School work slows down the writing process and because there's a lot going on in this story, i wanted to make sure that this chapter brought back ideas mentioned earlier in the fanfic. Anyway, please review (since reviews help me understand if the reader knows what's going on and is enjoying it) and enjoy the next chapter!_

Chapter 14: Blood Control

Trimester one was finally over and we all passed our final exam with flying colors. Well, all except for Stella. She barely passed. Since the Trix and Cian were at bay, she's been too busy hanging out with Brandon instead of studying with us. However, we all manage to go out on dates with our boyfriends. Matt and I go out a lot. We practice fighting each other every night and I have to say he's pretty good. I'm trying to learn how to fight without using my magic, which is a lot harder than I thought.

Basically, everything seems to be like a regular school year.

_Everything except for this repetitive dream I keep having_. Floating before me like always was the mysterious girl playing her flute of the wind spirit's song. However I noticed that although it appeared as if she were holding a flute, she wasn't. She mimed holding the flute, but as she played, it sounded like the actual instrument.

As usual I approached her and she'd smile at me.

"We've really gotta stop meeting like this," she said. "Thankfully, you're here longer and longer than before."

"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about." The girl lowered herself to the ground, her black eyes sparkling. Sort of like the way my mom's did. My heart began to feel heavy as I thought about her.

"You okay?" I shook my head and sighed.

"I will be."

"My name's Blanche." She stuck out her hand as I shook it.

"Scarlet." I paused as I withdrew my hand. "But I'm guessing that you knew that already."

"Yeah, I did." Blanche began to float again and circled me. "I really like your outfit. Is that your first fairy form?"

"Sorta. It's a long story." She still smiled.

"Would you like to join me in the wind?" I fluttered my wings and began to float with her.

"Are you a fairy too?" I asked, feeling a little lost with her random questions.

"Sorta. It's a long story."

"O…kay… How about this: How'd you know my name?" Blanche placed a finger over her lips.

"Secret. Can't let you know yet."

"Fine. How about what you said earlier? The 'We've gotta stop meeting like this' bit."

"You don't remember, do you?"

"I remember feeling like having a dream and constantly waking up covered in sweat and short of breath." She reached for my hand and held onto it. The wind suddenly surrounded us both as I heard her say, "Like this?"

I opened my eyes as found myself looking up at the ceiling. Doused in sweat, I got up and created a gentle breeze to dry my soaked nightgown. I took a few deep breaths to calm down my beating heart.

_What the hell was that? It's true that I'm getting a clearer idea of what these dreams are, but…there's something else…_ I shook my head to shake the weird feeling off and headed towards the bathroom. Because of Griffin's training, my hair's been growing constantly. The girls continue to insist that I keep it long, but I prefer it short. Short means fairy, which means protection. Long hair means vampire, which means destroy. Don't wanna have the hair to destroy. So I cut my hair, found my white tank, navy jean skirt and boots, and went to breakfast.

The Winx were already eating and discussing about how to stop Cian's spell. Ever since our battle with the witches at Cloud tower a while back, we've been trying to figure out a way to get Cian's blood outta those who've been sliced. When Musa saw me, she waved her hand and the girls turned their heads with a smile. Tecna pulled out her ladybug scanner and had it scan my head.

"Any more dreams?" Bloom asked as I took a seat and the ladybug returned to its mother ship.

"Yep."

"These dreams are becoming more vivid each night," Tecna replied, "I wonder if it's like Bloom's dreams when she was dreaming about Daphne."

"But I know where I come from," I pointed out, "And these dreams feel…different."

"Have you spoken to Ms. Faragonda about them?" Flora asked.

"I probably should. You think she'll be alright with helping me this early in the morning?"

"She'll help anyone at any hour." I nodded in thought as I wolfed down my breakfast. I soon left my friends and went to Faragonda's office.

"Come in." As I opened the door, Faragonda placed on her kind smile and sat in her big red chair. "Scarlet. I haven't seen you here for some time now. What can I help you with?"

"I've been having these weird dreams for quite some time now," I began as I headed towards one of her two chairs facing her, "and everytime I wake up from them I'm short of breath and soaked in my own sweat." Faragonda closed her eyes and thought for a moment before standing up and grabbing a book from her shelf. She opened it and nodded as she read.

"It seems to me that your vampire powers are beginning to take shape," she said. I shrugged my shoulders not understanding what she was talking about.

"Ms. Griffin has kept me informed of your training and she's mentioned that through your dark spells, your vampire powers are seeping through."

"So you're saying that they're developing into a specific kind of power?"

"That's correct."

"Is that good?"

"It's very good. You should feel proud of yourself. If your vampire powers become a specific kind, the chances of you having your negative energy taking over again are very slim."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes glowing and a grin on my face.

"Yes. It means that you're allowing your vampire powers to develop. Before you were containing them. Now you're using them regularly."

"So because of this, I'm having weird dreams?"

"I believe so."

"Okay. I can live with that. I'm gonna head off to class then." I waved good-bye and ran out the door.

"No running in the hallways, Miss Scarlet," Griselda called out.

"Sorry!"

[However…]

(Griselda enters Faragonda's office)

Griselda: Was Scarlet just here?

Faragonda: Yes she was. She's having strange dreams at night.

Griselda: What kind of dreams.

Faragonda: I'm not sure.

Griselda: You didn't ask?

Faragonda: I still have to tell Scarlet that she's a pure vampire. I don't want to worry her more than I have to.

Griselda: Well what does Griffin have to say?

Faragonda: After training with her for some time now, Griffin believes that she's figured out what type of vampire power Scarlet has.

Griselda: Is it terrible?

Faragonda: We don't think so and once Scarlet knows she might not think so either.

[Back to Scarlet…]

"I'm tired of studying!"

"Stella, you've only studied for five minutes and ten second. How can you possibly be tired of studying?" Stella rolled onto her back and placed the back of her hand onto her forehead.

"Studying for school drains my energy and takes away my beauty. It's exhausting."

"These books don't drain you," Layla commented, "Silent-takers do." Stella shuddered at the thought and rolled back onto her stomach.

"I hate those creatures."

"Thank god we haven't seen them in a while."

"Amen to that," Musa replied, "By the way, this trimester is perfecting our charmix stage, right?"

"That would be the most logical step considering that we're trying to perfect our enchantix powers."

"You've gotten your charmix already, right Scarlet," Flora asked.

"Yeah, I got it my sophomore year. It was actually thanks to my charmix that my double future of being a warrior and an advisor became much easier."

"Oo! I wanna hear stories about Scarlet's past. Was this when Jeremy was in the picture?" By the mention of his name I felt a pain in my heart. Flora and Bloom hit Stella as she shrugged her shoulders. "What? She's over Jeremy, she's got a new boyfriend, I don't see the problem here."

"He was her boyfriend and he's gone," Flora hissed.

"Sure she has Matt, but she must still miss Jeremy," Bloom added.

"Well I still don't see the problem."

"It's okay guys," I said, trying to calm the three down, "I still miss him but I'm sure he's found a girl on the other side and we're moving on with our…um…lives?" Everyone laughed that I placed a questions mark at the end of my sentence. Well what should I have said, his "after-life"?

"So you were saying?" Musa asked, "Before Stella brought up Jeremy."

"My Charmix, right. Well…"

[Flashback to sophomore year at Inter-Realms…]

…Even though I knew my whole life that I would take on these two positions, it wasn't till I was older that I realized how much work it was. My parents tried to be fair, but I didn't think they were fair enough, though I never told them that. Plus I was still very conscious about my vampire self, so I was pretty stressed out.

"Scarlet!" Celia shouted, "I need you to help me out for our incantation class. It's going to talk about these random places I've never heard of."

"Cel, I can't. Ask Lucentia."

"But she's studying hard for the combat exam next week. Come on, Scar, please?" I closed my dark spell book and rolled my eyes.

"Fine."

"YAY!" Celia knocked my spell book aside and placed our incantations textbook on my desk. "So I know pronouncing things is very important, but why do we need to know the background?"

"Because it helps knowing where the spell you're using comes from so you know when to use it." Celia smiled what I called her cat smile and she hugged me. As usual, she was crushing my windpipes and Lucentia had to save me.

"Cel, if you keep suffocating her, she won't be of use to you," She said, adjusting her glasses, her multi-colored eyes shining.

"Thanks," I said in relief.

"No problem. Now in return…" I smacked my head on the desk.

That was how our routine was and the professors expected a lot from me since my mom was the greatest warrior of Aquila and my dad the wisest, so acing my classes were hard. One night, I refused to help my friends because I was too tired of working. I told them to train on their own and to help each other out. _Why should I do their work and mine as well?_ was what I was thinking. I was practicing my combat skills when the wind spirits at Inter-Realms told me that Celia had gotten herself into trouble. Quickly I flew via wind current to her aid and noticed that she summoned a nasty creature from our textbook. It was called an Amphisbaena: a snake with two heads on either end. Or at least that was what she tried to summon. She recited it wrong, which transformed it to be larger and deadlier than ever. And since we weren't in a desert habitat, it was goin' berserk and started to head towards the school. Luckily, Celia recited the spell in the forest, so the creature had ways to go before reaching our school.

"What did you do?" I shouted once I landed. Celia was in tears and ran to me.

"I'm so sorry. I tried summoning a creature to destroy, but it got outta hand. And Lucentia tried fighting it, but…" She pointed to an unconscious Lucentia with her glasses shattered by her feet.

"You have to defeat the monster," Cel told me.

"How?"

"Your dad taught you everything about mystical creatures and their habitat. There must be a way to send it back."

"This is your mess, Cel. You've gotta figure it out."

"Lucentia and I need you to tell us what to do. We don't understand any of it. You do." I rolled my eyes and walked towards Lucentia. I placed my hand on her shoulders and said, "Touq," which was the healing spell I used before discovering in my vampire form that I had something better. Lucentia opened her eyes and glared at Celia.

"I told you not to do it, but what did you do?"

"I'm sorry, but I got Scarlet here and she can help us." As Lucentia got up, she fixed her glasses and waited for my commands. The creature was snapping around, dripping poison from its mouth and its fangs were slicing up the trees.

"Transforming is an important first step," I suggested. With that, the three of us transformed. Lucentia had a dress that had a strap on her right shoulder and nothing on her left. Black and white swirly designs and ankle high boots. Celia's was a two piece outfit with a belly tank and skirt. She had bracelets on her wrists with red fabric connecting to the tank and wore red knee-high boots. I was in my wind fairy form and I created a wind chamber to try and contain the beast.

"Celia, try to burn the poison. It's killing the trees and won't stop. Lucentia, we've gotta get this creature back to its habitat."

"Desert, right. Returning a creature home involves light." A white light surrounded Lucentia and then went into her hands. The creature couldn't recognize it because it was too big.

"Looks like I gotta shrink it, but that involves dark magic. I can't keep this barrier up AND shrink it. Lucentia, can you copy this spell?"

"Copying? That involves dark." With one hand she held the light circle while with the other she withheld my barrier. Quickly, I gathered what little negative energy I had and placed my hands out front. Once all the dark magic was in my hands, I said, "Pihakiboniu." My magic left me and I felt it hit the creature, who shrunk back into its normal size and Lucentia threw her light portal at it.

"All the poison's gone," Celia announced, "Thanks for helping us there. Dunno where we'd be without you."

And I don't know why, but I suddenly started laughing. My two friends looked at one another in confusion before looking back at me.

"You're right," I said in between breaths, "You guys are really smart, but without me you'd be snake food." They joined me in my laughter for a bit and then we calmed down.

"I'm sorry," I finally said.

"For what?" Lucentia asked.

"For being all whisy-washy about helping you guys out. You know that I'm having trouble juggling two different professions."

"We know that," Lucentia replied, "And we shouldn't be pushing you too hard."

"It's ok. I realized now that it's just something I have to accept whether I like it or not because it really does help us out when we need it."

[End of flashback…]

"…And that's how I earned my charmix."

"Lucentia and Celia sound like they were good friends," Flora commented.

"They were." I smiled lost in thought in remembering their smiling faces.

"Lucentia's powers were light and dark?" Bloom asked, "And Celia was fire?"

"That's right. Celia's fire wasn't like yours Bloom, since hers was just fire and yours is the dragon fire. And Lucentia was light and dark in that she had access to different dimensions and judging on the type of magic. Copying magic was considered dark, but returning a creature home was light."

"How interesting," Musa commented. "A fairy that can cut through dimensions that are divided by light and dark."

"I wonder how we're going to gain our charmix this time," Layla thought aloud, "We've conquered our greatest task last time, so I wonder how it's gonna work this time."

"One thing I think we should worry more about is how to get Cian's blood out of your bodies," Bloom suggested, "You and some of the specialists were cut by the Trix and need treatment before the next attack."

"I'm still sorry about that, by the way."

"Scarlet, it's fine," Tecna replied, "It's because we weren't careful enough and let our guards down against the witches."

"Can we at least call the boys over to help us? They've been cut too."

"Of course Stella," Bloom answered, "Things are more interesting when the boys are around." Musa, Layla, and I rolled our eyes as Stella took the liberty in calling the specialists over. I've noticed now that's her job in the Winx Club. Once she finished her call, we made our way outside.

"I still hate this guy," Luna told me as we waited, "I don't like the way he's treating you."

"Oh come on, Luna," Amore replied, "Their relationship's growing with love. There's nothing wrong with that."

"There is when it's Matt."

"Luna, please give him a break," I begged, "We've been dating for a while and you still hate him?"

"I'm your bonded pixi. It's my job to make sure creeps like him stay away from you." I raised my hand and patted her on the head.

"I'll be fine."

"Here they come, girls," Flora shouted.

"Wow that was fast," Layla added, "I'm guessing that Riven and Sky are racing each other again."

"Go Riven!" Musa shouted as two wind riders zoomed, which caused the dust on the ground to surround us. Quickly, I found some strings in the wind and pulled them to clear the dust away.

"Looks like I won that one," Riven announced as he pulled off his helmet.

"I'm not so sure," Sky replied, "Let's ask the girls since they saw the race."

"I say it was Riven!"

"No, Musa, it was Sky."

"You two don't count," Layla said, "And you guys caused a cloud of dust to block our vision of seeing who won."

"Well I still think that it was Riven." Musa trotted on over to Riven, who caught her in his arms.

"And I think it was Sky." Sky reached out to Bloom, who walked into his arms.

"I'm glad to see that you're on your fiancée's side."

"You guys have gotta stop racing each other like that." Stella's eyes began to glow at the sound of her man's voice. She quickly spun around and ran on over to him.

"Oh, Brandon, it's been so long since I last saw you."

"Really? I saw you two days ago."

"That's still too long." Finally, the rest of the specialists arrived and Tecna practically threw herself at Timmy before he got off his bike.

"Did you get my e-mail about the new system coming out?"

"Of course I did. I was wondering if you wanted to go together and then…you know…hang out?" Tecna blushed as she nodded, to which Layla and I grinned evilly.

"Your poems are growing beautifully," Healia complimented as Flora jumped for joy.

"Good, I got worried that I was losing my touch." Helia placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her in close.

"A girl of your caliber will never lose her touch." Flora's face turned red as she leaned on him.

"Where're our guys?" Layla asked. I shrugged my shoulders as Sky answered,

"Nabu was teaching Matt some combat techniques here and there."

"That's cheating!" I shouted.

"No it's not." Layla and I looked around as Matt appeared before me and Nabu in front of Layla. Matt had a smirk on his face as his ice blue eyes were shinning with pride. "If you're allowed to fight with magic, then what better way to learn combat than from a wizard?"

"That's still cheating!" Matt raised my chin and pulled me close.

"Well now if you mess with me," he whispered, "I know how to pin you down and keep you under my control." I could feel my blood rushing through my body as a chill went up my spin.

"So the reason," Layla interrupted (which I thanked her for later), "we called you is because half of us has been infected with Cian's blood. With all fourteen of us working together, we can figure out how to cure this before his next attack."

"I can definitely be of some help since I can detect which spells might be useful." Layla smiled and leaned on her fiancée.

"See, this is why I like wizards over specialists. They're more useful." I rolled my eyes as I began to head towards the library with Matt following close behind. Luna was behind him and I sensed her anger and frustration with him. Poor pixi.

"You keep cutting your hair."

"Yeah. So?"

"You look kinda hot with long hair."

"Matt, guys in general like girls with long hair."

"Your short hair's pretty hot too."

"Okay, why're we even having this discussion with my friends around?" I hissed.

"Because if you're worried about me not being attracted to you because of your hair being long at times, you don't have to worry." I abruptly stopped and elbowed him in the ribs. He fell over and tried to take deep breaths as I continued on walking.

"Hey," I heard Riven asking Matt, "You ok?"

"Yep…never been better." I heard Matt say in between painful breaths.

"I hope you know that Riven's glaring at you," Luna mentioned.

"Oh yeah, I could tell." Finally we reached the library and without hesitation I created my wind board. With Luna by my side, I was able to narrow down the books faster than any other Winx. Unfortunately, Matt insisted to join me on my wind board. Let's just say that it totatly distracted me. Since I'm about as tall as his shoudler, he was on the outside of me, reaching out for books I couldn't reach. My heartbeat quickened as I smelled his sharp scent of whatever he was wearing (Cologne, deoderent, I dunno!). He wore the T-shirt that he wore when we were first properly introduced. I could tell because of the tear at the hem of his shirt.

I took a deep breath as I continued to pick out books. We were all scattered throughout the library, so it was just me and Matt. Luna decided that she was going to do some book research elsewhere for a bit, which made me become more nervous around him. My heart was beating so loudly and fast and the worst part: I was hearing his own heartbeat! It was calm and beating in a pattern that I tried to listen to to keep me calm. Suddenly, I heard him take a deep breath. A buzz of pleasure went down my spine.

"You smell good," He whispered in my ear.

"Thanks." I whispered back.

"Why do you smell so good?"

"I-I dunno. I shower every day?"

"It sorta…" He took in another breath. "…turns me on." Swiftly, he spun me around and cornered me against the bookshelf. His right arm was by my head while the left was in his pocket. I found myself short of breath and began to feel frozen. His eyes were the ones doing this. It was like he was casting a spell over me. He slowly brought his left hand towards my face and outlined my lips with his first two fingers, his smirk returning. As he brought his face closer to mine, I felt his breath brush against my lips, his hand gliding down my body to find my waist. My _bare _waist. His hand was hot as it then glided up past my bra strap. His fingers spread across my right shoulder blade and kept me still as he brought his lips over mine. I closed my eyes as his tongue entered my mouth and explored it, leaving no place untouched. Naturally I followed and just played along. He lowered the arm that was beside my head and rested it over my lower back, his hand draping over my ass. He pressed his body against mine and pushed my back against the book shelves. His tongue refused to let me escape as I found myself short of breath.

I couldn't think straight and I still couldn't move. My heart was beating faster and I could hear his echoing in my ears. It was calmer and still rhythmic. But I could feel his skin growing warmer from the heat his blood was giving off. It made my head spin.

_Don't…let this…end…_ I thought lazily to myself as I wrapped my arms around his waist to keep him from pulling away. Everything was perfect: His smell, his tongue, his touch. I felt my own blood stirring with pleasure.

Sadly, he withdrew his tongue and pulled his lips away from mine, but not too far. I could still feel his breath upon my lips. I had completely lost my breath and quietly panted from all the excitement. Slowly, I opened my eyes and his proud smirk returned to his face, his eye shinning with desire.

"Not bad," He whispered. My breathing began to slow down as I tried to nod. He removed his left arm from my ass and strocked my hair, bringing a few strands to his lips and his eyes on me. "I guess I know why the guys find you girls so passionate."

"Wh-what do you mean?" I asked weakly, still dizzy and overflowed with sexual desires.

"On the outside, you girls look like innocent fairies who like cute things and to torture us guys with them. However, the guys had always said how passionate their girl is physically and that they were surprised by that."

"Has any of them slept with the Winx?" Matt let go of my hair and placed a finger on my lips.

"That's a team secret."

"Scarlet!" I wave of panic swept over me as Matt quickly let me go. I faced the book shelves and pulled out a random book when Layla peered around the corner. "Did you find anything yet?"

"Nope," I said too quickly. Layla looked at me for a second before replying, "Okay. Just let us know if you find anything." With that she left.

[But…]

(Layla returns to Nabu, who's looking through one of the library books he and Layla found)

Layla: Guess who wasn't pulling their end of the seach?

Nabu: (Looks up and thinks for a moment) I'd say Brandon and Stella or Timmy and Tecna. Those are the couples that would probably be making out at a tie like this. And if not them then Riven and Musa. That guy's so tense he needs to unwind with his girl around. (He goes back to reading when Layla walks around the table and sits on it near Nabu)

Layla: All three are wrong.

Nabu: (Looks up and sighs, giving Layla a lazy smile) Alright, then who?

Layla: Scarlet and Matt.

Nabu: Seriously? But that guy's been nothing but slow with her since they got together.

Layla: Well maybe he got desprite because I've never seen Scarlet so red and embarrassed in her life.

Nabu: Is she new to the whole boyfriend thing?

Layla: She had a guy back at her old school, but we don't know much about him.

Nabu: That must've hurt her, losing her friends and the guy she was interested in.

Layla: She was. (Thinking for bit, disturbed by a thought) If she and Jeremy were together for a year, then why isn't there more of an attachment to him? She seems to just…like him.

Nabu: Maybe the two didn't have chemistry together. At a warrior school they're trained to not get attached, so maybe she hid the attraction.

Layla: That or there was no attraction at all.

Nabu: You rooting for Matt?

Layla: Scarlet's attracted to the guy. It's obvious.

Nabu: Yes it is. Matt tries to act cool, but when someone mentions Scarlet he's as innocent as Helia.

Layla: (Giggles and give Nabu a hug) I'm glad that Matt likes Scarlet, no matter how much Riven doesn't like it. Ever since our first trip to the Lake of Wonders she's been…happier. Sorta like she's free from all the deaths at Inter-Realms.

Nabu: But she's still struggling with her vampire powers.

Layla: Yeah, but not like before. Now it's just a part of her routine. She hasn't transformed and attacked people recently.

Nabu: (laughs) That's good.

Layla: I understand that feeling: People say you belong, but you don't feel it. Then after a while you wake up realizing that you do. And to make things better, you fall in love and no longer feel awkward around your friends who all have boyfriends.

Nabu: Glad that I came around then?

Layla: (punches him playfully) Why didn't you come sooner?

Nabu: Hey, we were engaged at first and didn't wanna be together, remember?

Layla: True. Worked out in the end, huh?

Nabu: (stands up, holds her face, and kisses her) Yes it did.

(Libi enters flying on her paper, crashing into Layla's back)

Libi: I'm sorry. I couldn't see where I was going.

Layla: Libi, what's wrong.

Libi: (Picks up the paper she was flying on and reads) "Winx, I have new information about Cian and what he's after. Please bring only yourselves to my office. Faragonda"

Layla: Finally. Maybe she's figured out a way to get Cian's blood out of our bodies.

[Back to Scarlet…]

Matt, at first, didn't let me leave. He said he wanted to make out more. Of course (since I was beyond embarrassed) I said no and quickly ran to meet up with the Winx. As we walked towards Faragonda's office, I could get that kiss out of my head. Even with Jeremy I've never had a kiss that…passionate. My face still felt hot as I remembered how close his face was to mine.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" Flora asked, placing a hand over my forehead and another over hers. "You're burning up."

"I-I'm fine, Flora, I promise."

"Okay, if you say so." She removed her hand from my head and sighed. "Maybe I'll make a fever remedy before you go to bed."

"That sounds good." As soon as Flora looked in front of her, I heard Layla whisper,

"Were you and Matt making out in the library?"

"LAYLA!" I hissed, "How'd you-"

"Your face says it all," she replied, "I've never seen you so flustered before."

"Well, these feelings are sorta new for me."

"But what about Jeremy?"

"I dunno. I really liked him and wanted to be with him, but his kisses weren't as…aggressive as Matt's and I've never felt so…I dunno." Layla smiled and placed her arm around my shoulders.

"Girl, I know what you mean."

"What're you two whispering about?" Musa asked, breaking me and Layla apart.

"Oh, nothing," Layla said. Musa began to perster me when we luckily reached Faragonda's door. Bloom knocked and we entered.

"How goes the research?" Faragonda asked.

"We're coming up with nothing," Bloom answered, "Even with extra help, we can't find anyway to remove Cian's blood from those who've been hurt."

"I'm sorry to hear that. However, the reason I've called you all here is because there was something I discovered a while ago that I was nervous about mentioning."

"Why?" Musa asked.

"Because Scarlet's negative energy overflowing and your classes at Cloud Tower were stressing you girls out. I wanted to wait until things had settled in for you before explaining to you what I believe Cian's after."

"Did you read more of Countess Clarissa's book?" Flora asked.

"I finished analyzing the second chapter."

"What did you decipher?" Tecna asked with mini-laptop at hand.

"That Cian's after something that is known as 'The Balance'."

"The Balance?" We repeated. Tecna continued to type away as Faragonda continued.

"Yes. You learned in Professor Wizgiz's class that everything has a balance. When there's dark, there's light. When there's good, there's evil."

"When there's Dragon Fire, there's water stars," Bloom added, which caused us all to laugh.

"Actually, Bloom, for the first time, I believe that your powers will be left alone." Bloom cheered with joy. "However, it appears that Cian might be after Scarlet."

"Seriously?" I asked, "Why? What does the Balance consist of?"

"The Balance is a pure vampire with light magic and dark magic within him or her."

"You're kidding."

"I'm afraid not, Scarlet."

"So we were right to assume that he was after Scarlet," Layla replied, "But she's not a pure vampire."

"However she does have the strength of one," Tecna pointed out, "Remember what Ms. Griffins said a while ago?"

"Stength or not, I'm still only half vampire. There's no such thing as a vampire with light and dark magic." Faragonda shook her head.

"It is very possible."

"Then is it possible that Cian's got the wrong girl?" Musa asked.

"Maybe, but because of Scarlet's background and her discovered strength, Cian believes that she is it."

"I can't be though," I explained, "I'm a half vampire. By blood, I'm only half vampire."

"Oh Scarlet," Faragonda said, sighing and adjusting her glasses, "maybe now's a good time to tell you something else." We all listened intently, especially me. I've never seen her look so serious before in my life. It was like there was something so important that she wanted to tell me, but too afraid to. Finally, she shook her head.

"You might want to do some extra research about how many half vampires are out there."

"What's that suppose to mean?" I asked, "Don't play riddles, Ms. Faragonda, just be honest."

"There's no riddle, Scarlet. You have the strength of a full vampire, which makes one question whether you're actually a pure one or not. However, it's possible that Cian has been mistaken to think that you're the Balance, but then again you might the one who's wrong."

I felt anger beginning to stir inside of me as I clenched my fists tightly together. Flora must've noticed because she took one of my hands and placed it into hers. Musa regonized Flora's actions and followed with the other. Faragonda could sense my anger and laced her fingers together.

"Scarlet, please don't be upset by what I've said. Ms. Griffin and I don't know much about vampires and have been doing tons of research on them. Based on your lessons with her, Ms. Griffin believes that you are a full vampire. I don't say I agree with her, but I'm having trouble finding half vampires and how they're created. That's why I'm asking you, the expert in vampirism, to do some research to see if they're others like you out there. It might be super rare, but we don't know that."

"Great, more research," Stella began, "It's bad enough to figure out how to get Cian's blood out of my body, but now we've gotta find a rare vampire species that not even you or Ms. Griffin can find?"

"You don't have to help, Stella," Tecna replied, "Digit and I can do the research alone. We can easily find books or websites with those kinds of facts."

"Good. 'Cause I'm tired of doing extra research and studying."

"Is that all, Ms. Faragonda?" Bloom asked, feeling my frustration and anger. Once again, questions began to stir in my mind: Had mom and dad lied to me all these years? If so, then why? And if I am a…pure vampire…then why do I have light magic within me? I can't be the Balance though because I'm only half vampire! I tightly closed my eyes as I felt a headache coming on.

"That's all." She walked aroundthe table and lifted my head. "I'm truly sorry, Scarlet. I don't want to cause you more trouble. I just want you to know who you are so that we can protect you." All I could do was nod as Musa and Flora led me out of the office. We were all quiet till we met up with the guys and pixies in the library.

"Is everything alright?" Sky asked. Bloom explained to everyone what Faragonda told us and apparently forgot to NOT mention the vampire bit.

"Why would this Cian guy think Scarlet's a vampire?" Matt interrupted. Bloom placed her hand over her mouth as she gave me an apologetic look.

"Because of her black magic practice," Flora answered, "Recently Scarlet's been having trouble balancing out negative energy with the positive energy of her wind magic."

"And you've been studying black magic for some time, haven't you?" Helia asked me.

"Yeah, I have."

"There's gotta be a way to show this guy he's got the wrong girl," Matt advised.

"I agree." We all turned to Riven, who was smiling a little too much for my own comfort. "We could give Scarlet to the witches. She can prove to Cian that she's not a vampire, and come back unharmed."

"Well we know how Riven feels about me," I said sarcastically.

"But just imagine all these attacks stopping because you went into the vampire's den to tell him he's got the wrong girl. Of course, I understand if you're hiding something from us that would make you the Balance."

"Are you crazy, Riven?" Musa shouted, "Do you really what to kill Scarlet off like that?"

"How about this," I decided, "No, Riven, I'm not going to do that. Cian does have the wrong girl because I'm not a pure vampire."

"Of course not, you're-" His mouth kept on moving, but no sound came out.

"That should keep him silent for a while," Musa replied. Riven crossed his arms and pouted.

"So Cian thinks that Scarlet's the Balance that he's looking for," Brandon summarized.

"That's correct. Actually, I need Timmy to help me with more research."

"I've got your back, Tec."

"Thanks guys." Everyone looked at me with smiles on their faces. "I know this is extra work, but I appreciate you not handing me over to solve your problems."

"The pleasure's ours," Nabu replied with a bow.

"Well, since we did our best to help today, we better get going," Sky announced, "But we can see if there's anything in our library. Saladin is a wizard after all and might have some useful ancient spells up his sleeves."

"Well walk you out," Bloom suggested. As we all headed towards Alfea's gates, I couldn't help but feel Matt's anger towards Riven, who (by the way) got his voice back from Musa. _Maybe I should tell him. It might make him understand why he's really upset with me_. My mouth opened to speak when Matt beat me to it.

"Ignore Riven. He can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"I know he's just worried about everyone, especially you and Musa."

"He's not always like this."

"I find that hard to believe."

"The two of us lost something that we valued and we were there to help each other a lot."

"That's nice. I know he's not a bad person. Musa wouldn't be dating him if he wasn't kind."

"I'm surprised that she even stuck it out this long to be with him." He sighed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Even though we've known each other since we were kids, I want you to know I'm not like him."

"Thanks for the reassurance." The specialists' wind riders were parked and appeared as we got closer. As usual, we all said our good-byes, but I was still not used to doing it with Matt.

"Funny how things worked out," he said as he got his bike warmed up, "When I switched teams and heard that I was the only guy without a girlfriend, I thought 'Big mistake!' But now, I'm really glad that I did."

"The Winx club has one more fairy." He chuckled a bit as he reached out for me with his left arm while his right was on one of the handle bars of the bike.

"You're one strange fairy." He motioned his hand towards himself, indicating that he wanted me closer. Once I was within reach, he pulled me in for a hug.

"I was pissed off that you were taken away from me," he whispered, "I was sorta hopin' something else would happen in the library." I felt my body becoming so hot that I tried to pull away.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked evily. He pulled me back in held me tight.

"Matt," I said from embarrassment, "This is-" A warning went through my body. I was sensing dark magic very close and it wasn't like the witches' presence. It was different. There was something…so close to me, yet it felt like a piece of a person rather than a whole person…

…or a whole spell.

I placed my hands out and created a wind force to push me out of Matt's arms. My feet landed on the ground and I withdrew my magic. Matt's evil grin sent chills down my spin as he pulled out his swords. _Wait, what? What happened to his fang sword?_ Matt's swords looked like samurai swords. He lundged himself at me as I created my wind shield.

"Girls, I'm-" but I stopped midsentence. Everyone was fighting each other! Layla had Nabu in one of her morphic traps and suffocating him. Helia launched his string grabber thing at Flora's neck and started to strangle her. Sky had his sword drawn and was jabboing at Bloom, who was barely dodging. Stella was throwing her sun power at Brandon, who could barely defend himself. Riven had his hook catcher things in each hand as he tried to pin Musa down to the ground. And Tecna launched a virus attack on Timmy, who barely missed it.

I crossed my arms and focused on my wind shield. Once I broke the "X" formation by throwing my arms out to either side of me, my wind shield became my offense attack as it pushed Matt far away from me. He crashed into his wind rider as I ran towards Flora. She had falledn to her knees and was beginning to pass out. Before reaching her, I folded all my fingers on my right hand instead of my first two and used my wind slash to cut Helia's string. She fell to the ground and was coughing like no other. I placed my fingers on Flora's neck, summoning a little dark magic and said, "Touq." The red marks around her neck disappeared as I felt something cutting by my arm. The familiar scent of my blood filled my nose as I tried to not transform. Flora shouted my name as I shook my head. She stood up and shouted, "Green Ivy!" I slowly looked up and noticed that Helia and Matt were wrapped up in green plants that erupted though the earth. She turned back to me and got me on my feet.

"Let's transform and help the other girls. My spell won't hold them off for long because I'm not in my fairy form."

"If I transform, then I'll be a vampire in front of Matt."

"Then how about this: Touq." Negative energy came from Flora as she healed the cut on my arm. "Now let's go." She jumped high in the air and shouted, "Flora Magic Winx!" Following her actions, I shouted, "Scarlet Magic Winx!" By the time we landed on the ground, we had transformed.

"Thanks, Flora," I said, "Because of you, I'm not in my vampire form."

"I should be the one thanking you," she replied as she used her Green Ivy attack on Helia and Matt again, "I wouldn't be able to fight if you hadn't saved me."

"Alright, let's save Nabu next." Flora took my left hand and extended the other outwards. I mirrored her actions as I felt a convergence spell form.

"Wind Petal attack!" With our powers together, we sliced Layla's morphic bubble (no pun intended, really) and Nabu fell to the ground. Layla turned around and began to attack.

"I'm going to check on Nabu and heal him. Then I'll try to keep Layla and the others back to give you time to help those being attacked."

"Be careful, Flora." She smiled and flew to Nabu as I created a wind barrier around Layla to help Flora out. Next was Bloom, who was sliced to a crisp by Sky. I covered my nose as I summoned my silver blade in my right hand to block Sky's next blow.

"Just in time, Scarlet," Bloom said, "I didn't know how long I could last."

"Find Flora 'cause she can heal you. There's too much blood spilt that if I use black magic I'll transform."

"Let me at least help you out. Bloom Magic Winx!" I moved out of the way as Bloom launched an attack on Sky. I headed towards Stella next when something small crashed into my head and then to my shoulder.

"I think we pixies should never leave your side."

"Luna?" I looked on my left shoulder and found Luna smiling proudly as she pointed towards Brandon.

"Now if blood's spilt, you won't transform." I paused for a moment before smiling triumphantly.

"Thanks, Luna." With that, I flew towards Brandon and withdrew my sword. I gathered the wind around my hands and threw them at Stella, which sent her tumbling away from Brandon. Next I went to Musa, who had already transformed, but she was sliced up by Riven. I extended my hand and gathered more negative energy. "Touq." Musa looked at herself with the wounds disappearing as I focused on the wind's strings, pulling them back and lauching my wind arrows to pin Riven down. Musa looked up at me and flew towards me.

"Thanks. We've better save Timmy from Tecna." The two of placed our magic between us and shouted, "Sonic breeze!" We threw it at Tecna, grabbed Timmy, and flew towards the rest of us who're still standing. Once we got Timmy to Flora, she healed him and took a deep breath.

"You're really good at dark spells, Flora."

"Now's not the time, Chatta," Tune replied, "We've gotta figure out what's wrong with everyone else."

"Scar, behind you!" I turned around and placed my hand out in front of me, slicing Matt up as I blew him away as well.

"Thanks Luna."

"What's gotten into them?" I created my wind shield around us.

"It might be Cian's blood control," Bloom suggested, "Sky and the others were the only ones who were cut by the witches."

"You're right. There's no doubt about it."

"Could you sense Cian's presence?" Flora asked me.

"I guess I did. At first, I wasn't sure what it was, but thinking back on it, it has to be. Who else could have a piece of themselves so close, but so-" a sharp pain went through my arms.

"Stella, Tecna, and Layla are doing a convergence spell!" Musa shouted, "We've gotta do one too."

"Boys, cover us," Bloom ordered, "Scarlet give us your hands." I did as the boys ran towards the other specialists. I began to feel another convergence as our powers mixed together.

"Elemental Beat!" Our spell knocked the three Winx down as Bloom announced, "Let's get them out of Alfea!" As she flew away, Sky's boomerang knocked her down. Suddenly, Matt was on top of me and we were fighting. Girlfriends vs. their boyfriends. I never wanted us to fight like this. Everytime we'd lead them away from Alfea, somehow they'd prevent us from doing so. More blood was spilt and none of us had enough energy to conger up black magic. I knew I could, but I was at the point that even with Luna's help, using dark magic would cause me to transform, and I didn't want to. Transforming into a vampire wasn't going to help us win, but cause more problems. Or worse: I lose conscious again and go bezerk on everyone!

"Maybe fairy dust will work," Bloom suggested, "They're under a dark spell and fairy dust can remove that."

"No Bloom," Flora replied, "We're not allowed to use our enchantix powers yet."

"But we're running out of options," Musa mentioned.

"My vote's for anything (dodge) that'll cure Stella," Brandon voiced.

"But there must be another way than fairy dust," Flora cried out. As Matt sliced up more of my arms, I thought about our first date. He told me that the time he took me to the Lake of Wonders was our first date, even though we werne't dating yet. He wanted to show me something pure and beautiful, which was how he saw me.

_Wait! Pure and beautiful…PURE!_

"Lake of Wonders!" I shouted with joy, "It's one of the purests spots in Magix!" A smile grew on Blooms lips as she threw Sky back with a fire attack.

"That's perfect!"

"How do we get there?" Timmy asked while trying to keep Tecna at Bay.

"Can't Scarlet use her wind magic to get us there faster?" Nabu suggested.

"My wind current!" I created an opening by the school's entrance. Then I stretched out my arms and pushed everyone back.

"Head towards the current. I can't hold them back for long."

"You're not gonna fight them alone!" Musa cried.

"I'm not. I'm giving us time to get to the current. You guys go first." I heard the boys running followed by Bloom and Flora. Musa finally went and I blew the other specialists and Winx into Alfea. Quickly, I flew towards the wind current, hearing the footsteps of the specialists and the attacks from my friends. I barely made it before closing the current up and flying at an incredible speed towards the lake. We couldn't see the others chasing us, but I could feel their presence.

When we arrived at the center of the lake, the three boys looked in awe, washing their wounds in the fresh water.

"While we've got time, we should figure out how to heal them," Bloom suggested.

"You better hurry," Lockette announced, "Because they're coming!"

"We have to get the water in them somehow," Flora said, "And not just anywhere, but into their blood."

"I say we make sure their sliced before letting them enter the water."

"That's very inappropriate, Scarlet," Tune said.

"And really nasty," Brandon added, "I don't wanna hurt Stella any more than I have to."

"Well you're gonna have to do that plan." We looked from where we came and in came Digit Pfft, and Amore. Digit pointed behind her and spoke. "They're right behind us."

"I don't want to hurt Tecna," Timmy began, "But if it's to save her, then I'll have to." We all got ready as our partners attacked head on. I summoned my wind sword and started to cut Matt up. Luna remained on my shoulder, but I noticed that even with her close, because so much blood was being spilt by cutting those we love, I began to feel my vampire instincts trying to take over. Luna must've felt it too because I heard her use magic to calm the instincts down.

"I'm so sorry Matt," I muttered as tears gathered in my eyes. My vampire instincts began to crawl painfully from within me.

"Scarlet, you've gotta focus!" I took a deep breath and flew towards Matt. I pressed my blade against his left side and created a long, deep cut. I fell on all fours in the shallow end of the water and tried to catch my breath.

"Are you alright?" I looked up at Nabu, who had Layla trapped in some spell I couldn't think of at the moment. I shook my head as he got me back on my feet.

"I discovered that maybe if we push them in the deepest part of the lake, the water will enter their blood stream to cure them." I nodded and said as I exhaled, "Let's do it." My legs stood shoulder-width apart as I had my hands out in front of me, palms towards Matt. I summoned what wind magic I had left and focused them on my hands. Once I had enough, I realsed it on Matt, who fell backwards into the deepest part of the lake. I noticed that besides Matt, Layla was only the other one who hadn't fallen in the lake yet. With ease, Nabu threw her in. Cautiously, we circled where our loved ones were.

"I hope this works," Flora whispered, her hands close to her chest, her fingers laced together. At first nothing happened, which brought me to my knees. Not only was on on the verge of transforming because my insides twisting to convince me to do so, but the fear that we've lost our friends along with my recently new boyfriend. I couldn't handle that: Losing more friends and relationships.

Suddenly, I heard bubbles popping. My eyes fell upon the deep end of the lake as bubbles grew larger and larger until…

"STELLA!" Brandon shouted. Stella was coughing as Brandon stretched out his hand to get her. Next came Sky, who quickly swam to Bloom before gasping for air. When Tecna reached the surface, she tried to fly out towards Timmy. Instead she almost landed in the shallow end of the lake and Timmy caught her. Riven reached the surface and with ease went to Musa. He didn't look happy and just sat at the edge with his head hanging low. Layla came next and Nabu didn't bother to let her swim. He used his magic to excort her out. There was a pause before Helia reached the surface. When he did, Flora used her magic to create vines to pull him out of the water.

Then came Matt. When he reached the surface he looked around and stopped when he found me. In the shiny lake his eyes shown brighty. He sighed as he swam towards me. I helped him up and sat on my knees next to him. For a while, all we heard was coughing and patting and the famous question, "Are you alright?" My insides were still killing me, so I scooped up some water into my hands and drank it. I noticed it healed Matt and would hopefully heal me.

"Matt?" I finally said when the water didn't work. He shook his head and raised his hand. I sighed and scooped up more water to rub on my wounds. Slowly, they healed. Flora, Musa, Bloom, Timmy, Nabu, and Brandon followed my example and watched their wounds heal.

"That's it!" Chatta shouted, "I've had enough of this silence! Why won't anyone talk?"

"Chatta!" Flora said with disapproval in her voice, "Give them a break."

"This silence is killing me," Luna whispered. I nodded and placed my hand on Matt's shoulder. He shuddered and I pulled it back.

"Matt," He shook his head again, but I ignored it, "We've gotta talk. This silence is kinda scaring me." Matt finally looked at me. Even as his dark brown hair dripped with the purest water, his ice eyes caught mine. They looked in pain, like looking at me was causing him pain.

"Matt," I said, reaching out again.

"Some specialists I am." I froze and pulled my hand back.

"What're you talking about?"

"My goal is to protect people, especially if it's my team and especially if it's my girlfriend." He emphasized "girlfriend" which caused me to jump a bit. "And what do I do?" He finally turns his head to face mine and glares at me. "I hurt you. I sliced you up and wanted to kill you. I couldn't control my actions."

"Matt, you weren't yourself. And you didn't hurt me." I showed him my arms. "No cuts. The water healed them easy."

"I still hurt you." He grabbed the long end of my skirt that was stained in blood. "I caused you to bleed. I wanted to kill you. I wanted to watch your blood spill on the ground." He grabbed my neck and pulled me close to his face. "I wanted you dead and I wanted it done by my hand." The glare turned into so much pain that I shook my head.

"No, you were-" But without another word, he got up and left. I stood up and did my best to run after him.

"You were under I spell!" I shouted after him, "I'm not mad, really I'm not." He turned around and I stopped running. Although his face was blank and he was in his standard "Hands-in-pockets-I'm-so-cool" mode, his eyes were still suffering.

"Stay away from me. I don't know if Cian's blood's fully outta me. I can't control myself." He shook his head and continued on walking.

"Matt-"

"JUST STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!" I froze from his sudden volume and watched as he left me in the forest.

[While this was happening…]

(Mini-conversations that were occurring at once)

Stella: Did I hurt you anywhere? Oh please tell me I didn't hurt you.

Brandon: You weren't yourself, princess. You attacking me was not something you wanted to do.

Stella: I'm sorry that I did.

Brandon: No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I consciously attacked you and hurt you.

Stella: That was defense. If you hadn't I would've…killed you.

Brandon: Me hurting you _did_ kill me. Using my blade against the woman I love isn't something I wish to do ever.

Stella: Please don't blame yourself.

Brandon: I do.

Sky: I tried to hurt you.

Bloom: It's okay, Sky. Hey, I've hurt you before, right?

Sky: I was able to stop you. No one was able to stop me.

Bloom: But we were able to. It just took us a while.

Sky: Last year, I was under Diaspro's spell and I hurt you then. Now, I was under Cian's spell and tried to kill you.

Bloom: You didn't intend for this to happen.

Sky: Well it seems clear that I'm a target to hurt you.

Bloom: Sky…

Tecna: Oh Timmy, I'm so sorry for how I acted.

Timmy: You're alright now and that's all that matters.

Tecna: I know, but I fought you. I even wanted to kill you. How can I do such a thing?

Timmy: You were under Cian's blood control spell. It wasn't your fault. I had to hurt you willingly and put you through so much pain.

Tecna: But it's logical that you would do that. You needed to help me.

Timmy: I could've figured out another way to save you.

Flora: (sighing in relief) I'm so glad that you're alright, Helia. I was so worried about you.

Helia: I don't think I'll ever be fully alright. I hurt you Flora.

Flora: You weren't yourself. You'd never hurt me on purpose.

Helia: I should've been able to stop myself.

Flora: Please don't beat yourself up over this.

Helia: (Reaches for her face and caresses her cheek) If I hurt the woman I love, then I'll beat myself up about this for as long as I see fit.

Flora: But you didn't hurt me on purpose.

Helia: What did I do to you, Flora? All I remember was wanting to hurt and kill you. What did I do?

Nabu: Are you feeling better?

Layla: Yes I am. Thanks.

Nabu: What happened to you? Obviously Cian was using his spell on you, but what was going through your mind.

Layla: All I remember was that one minute I was hugging you and the next I wanted nothing more than to kill you. I've never felt like killing anyone before.

Nabu: I sensed that from the way you acted, but you're alright now?

Layla: Yeah. I'm sorry for hurting you.

Nabu: And I'm sorry for hurting you. I never wanted to and tried to be as gentle as I could…I hope you can forgive me.

Layla: (Gently punches him in the arm) Of course I will.

Musa: Riven, please talk to me. You're scaring me by saying nothing.

Riven: I hurt you…again.

Musa: No you didn't. You were under Cian's spell. You couldn't have-

Riven: Ever since we first met, I've been under something to have hurt you. Darcy the first year, Mandragora last summer, and now this?

Musa: But you didn't want to hurt me.

Riven: Darcy surpressed my feelings for you. Mandragora made me fight Sky and I didn't stop when I saw you coming. I hit you. And today…what did I do to you?

Musa: You didn't do much.

Riven: What did I do to you?

Musa: …You pinned me down and tried to stab me.

Riven: Fuck!

Musa: Riven, please calm down.

Riven: I can't!

Musa: Please!

[Scarlet now returns…]

My heart was broken. That's exactly how it felt. My heart was broken in two and those pieces sat heavily in my chest as I stumbled back towards the lake. My throat grew tight as my vision began to blur. By the time I reached everyone else, I fell to my knees and silently cried. Luna, who was still on my shoulder, sat in silence, strocking the side of my neck. She didn't gloat or say, "I told you so"; she just whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Maybe Matt has the right idea," I heard Sky announce, "We're suppose to be your bodyguards and we hurt you."

"Not all of you were under Cian's spell though," Bloom pointed out.

"Yeah, but we decided to hurt you," Brandon replied, "As bodyguards we're suppose to protect you, not attack you."

"You're being ridiculous!" Stella shouted, "You were looking out for us!"

"We're just in the way," Timmy added, "Maybe some space between us will protect you from Cian."

"Timmy, that's so illogical of you!"

"Helia, please don't tell me you agree with this."

"Flora, they're right. If we're here to protect you and we can't even do that, then there's no reason for us to be here."

"Please, Riven, don't do this! You didn't mean to do anything!"

"What's the point in me staying with you if all I do is hurt you?"

"But you don't!" Musa cried.

"Aren't you guys being a little to extreme?" Nabu asked, "We were instructed by Saladin to protect the girls and we have. The only way to save the girls was to battle them and we did. We figured out a way to cure everyone. Shouldn't that matter more?"

"We're not being extreme," Sky answered, "We want to protect the girls and us not being there might be the way to keep them safe."

"Sky, you're acting a little crazy," Nabu replied, "Us leaving isn't gonna help anything."

"Look Nabu, you don't have to stay with us if you don't want to. But we as a team should stay away from the girls for a bit."

"You can't be serious," Stella said in total shock.

"It's for the better."

"Brandon, that's crazy!"

This conversation went on for what felt like forever. The girls tried to convince the guys to stay, but they insisted on leaving. Screaming and yelling and cries of "Please don't go!" echoed through the lake and one by one, the specialists left their girls standing. Nabu was the last to go.

"I'm going to talk to them," He told us, "They're clearly not thinking straight."

"You do what you can to bring those idiots back," Layla suggested, "I'm going to help my friends out in the mean time." The two kissed good-bye and then it was just us girls. The only sound that was heard was the water of the lake, the waterfall, and the sound of the pixies' wings fluttering around us.

"Do you think this water will heal our broken hearts?" Stella asked.

"It doesn't hurt to try," Flora answered.

"Boys are stupid," Layla announced, "Those boys just don't get it."

"They're a different species," Tecna replied, "Logic can't even explain a boy's mind."

"Then let's have a drink," Bloom said. Stella grabbed some stones and by using her sun power was able to create crystal goblets for us to drink out of. As I stood up, I looked and noticed Musa sobbing. I approached her and extended my hand.

"We got hurt badly, huh?" I said, causing Musa to look up, tears streaming down her face. She nodded as she took my hand. Once she was on her feet, the two of us went towards Stella and got our goblets. Once we filled it with water, we raised our glasses, thinking that one of us had something to say.

Since we didn't, we silently drank the purest water, hoping that it would cure our broken hearts.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Diamond in the Rough

(Cian dressed in a black button down and black jeans enters before the witches. He's grinning with joy and has a glass of red blood wine at hand while the girls have regular red wine.)

Cian: You girls have done a fabulous job! I toast to your success. (Raises his glass and drinks it while the witches drink theirs.) Not only did the blood control work, but because of it, the relationship between the specialists and fairies has weakened greatly! You should be very proud.

Fury: Well, it was the least we can do.

Cian: You girls are slowly getting stronger and gaining the rightful power you diserve. Soon you won't be working for me anymore.

Darcy: What makes you say that?

Cian: Based on your past, you've been betrayed by those who you've partnered with, so I assumed that it's natural that you'd leave.

Stormy: Are you intending to do the same to us?

Cian: No. With the fourth ancient witch's decendent partnering herself once more the the three ancient witches' decendents, your power will form and grow to the point where the Winx won't stand a chance.

Icy: I like the sound of that.

Fury: As I mentioned to them earlier, master, with two mental powers and two physical powers combined, balance has been restored and what is rightfully ours shall return.

Cian: Yes, your continued quest for the Dragon Flame.

Darcy: Well now we've got options: Re-creating the relix, stealing ancient scrolls from planets to learn every spell in the universe-

Fury: Or continuing with you on your quest for the Balance.

Cian: I hope that you decide to stay. I've got many things in store that would interest you.

Stormy: Really?

Cian: Yes. For example, once the Balance is mine, I'll be able to go out and conquer those planets within seconds, feasting on power and blood. Of course, I can do it alone, but since you've been helping me in making this process move faster, it only seems fair to let you conquer certain places on your own. I believe the realm of Magix is something appealing to you.

Icy: (grins evily) Yes! How I'd love to crush those fairies once and for all!

Stormy: And taking over Cloud Tower is always something we enjoy. Maybe we can make those witch students our minions.

Icy: We need minions.

Darcy: And don't forget Red Fountain. Having those specialists die for their school under the hand of the Trix!

Cian: I'm glad to have you on board. Now, about our next attack…(Pulls out from his pocket a small vile of a black liquid)…This is a potion I created that blinds a person from all dark magic present. Spells, potions, (hands the vile to Fury) creatures…

Fury: Are you saying if we give this to the fairies, then they'll never sense our presence?

Cian: That's correct. Now the order: The potion is enough to work on one fairy, so pick one of the Winx girls to blind. Then go to Red Fountain and start slicing up the specialists.

Darcy: Why do we have to beat up the specialists?

Cian: Because they can't sense your presence and you've got magic on your side. Weapons cannot stop something of your level.

Stormy: And why one potion?

Cian: This potion takes a lot of time a preparation. I only had time in my plan for one…at least for now anyway.

Fury: We will not disappoint you. (The Trix bow)

Cian: Now leave. (The trix leave as he sips the blood wine and looks out the window.) Soon, Scarlet Avila. Soon I'll see the true power you possess. Perhaps it's time to pay a visit. I believe that I too can find a spell to protect me from the sun.

[Meanwhile in prison…]

(Silent-Takers are everywhere and Damian put of a shield to protect everyone. One by one, Lolita kills them off, but many more still remain)

Kayla: Do you think Cian really found Scarlet?

King: (offering his assistance to Damian) He's lying, my dear. Scarlet's dead like everyone else at Inter-Realms.

Lolita: However I can't shake off the feeling that he's not. There's only one wind fairy I know of that has vampire blood in her veins.

Damian: And Scarlet's not the type of girl who'd give up easily in a fight.

Queen: Listen to yourselves. I know losing a daughter can shatter you, but lying to yourselves doesn't help.

Kayla: But imagine: Scarlet with the new Company of Light. What if they were to take her in? (Smiles at the thought) If we ever make it home, she'd probably wanna be with them rather than work with me.

King: If she's alive and we get out of this alive, then she'll return to her place by your side.

Kayla: (mutters) Well I won't keep her if she doesn't wish to be with me.

Lolita: Kayla, you've been a good friend to Scarlet ever since you were both little. I'm sure she wouldn't leave your side that easily. (While Kayla thinks happily to herself, Lolita looks over at Damian) Is it possible for Scarlet to be the Balance?

Damian: It can't be. She's half vampire.

Lolita: Not that I'm questioning your knowledge, but how many half vampires are there in the universe? (Damian begins to think) You of all people should know after years of your research on your species.

Damian: It's not impossible…but I don't recall there ever being a half blooded vampire anywhere. It's like Cian said: Our venom's too powerful to take over only half of a person. And like how males have X and Y chromosomes, we have venom and no venom. Same with the ladies. It's really a 50-50 chance for there to be a half vampire or not.

Queen: And vampires can transform others into vampires as well. Is that correct?

Damian: Not necessarily. Those who weren't born a vampire aren't "pure" like us and are usually used as monster that goes on an endless blood bath hunt. Some have it easier than others, but many just run wild and tear each other apart.

Queen: (shudders) Vampires can be nasty creatures sometimes.

Lolita: Only those like Cian, which aren't many. Full vampires don't need a lot of blood if they have spells, like Damian.

Damian: But those who don't find a person to bite and drinks someone away. However, their victim isn't killed. Just unconscious for a while.

King: What about Scarlet? What about her vampire skills if what you say is true.

Damian: Scarlet was like a normal vampire at first: Bitting us here and there, I cast spells on her so she'd eat food and not be sensitive to the sunlight, she rarely slept because she wanted to learn more spells or play with Princess Kayla.

Lolita: But when she was ten years old, she suddenly stopped developing as a Vampire. She instead showed signs of being a fairy, a wind fairy to be precise.

Damian: Between ages ten and twelve does one discover their true powers and apparently Scarlet found hers.

Lolita: But it wasn't like a vampire fairy thing. She was solely a fairy.

Damian: She then discovered that she could suck her own blood and that's when we discovered that she was half vampire.

Kayla: So she was a full one until age ten?

King: Who was the person that she'd suck blood from?

(Lolita and Damian look at one another, looking at each other's pain and sorrow)

Lolita: (Becomes overwhelmed with emotions) I couldn't save her.

Damian: (Holds her tightly as he too starts to cry) No one had seen that coming.

Kayla: That poor girl. She was my age when she died.

[Meanwhile…]

Needless to say the water from the Lake of Wonders didn't work. We were still hurt by how the specialists reacted. Somehow, though, the water was able to calm us down for a bit as we flew back to school. Two weeks later we still felt the same as when they left. Faragonda had placed up the barrier when we returned that night and ever since there has been a cerfew set for eight o'clock sharp. No acceptions.

"Now of course I'm not going to teach you all the same things I taught you two years ago," Faragonda began, "but as fourth year fairies I'm to pull forth the power of convergence that you posses. To many, this is an easy course to ace because you use it too much for your own good. And to others this is a second chance to understand the beauty and struggle a group has to go through in order to complete a convergence spell. Now, let's begin with…"

I sat at my desk taking notes as I remembered the kind of convergence I did at Inter-Realms. It wasn't anything like with the Winx, but that's the beauty of it, I guess. With Celia and Lucentia it was always destroy the enemy with fire, throw them into another dimention, blow them away to a different universe. With the Winx it's more capture and defeat, protect ourselves from the Trix's blade, set a trap for us to lead them to. I continued to jot down random stuff when Faragonda's lecture became interesting.

"Now, you girls must be wondering how you're going to regain your charmix." The class mumbled together as I heard Stella sighing. She hasn't been herself since Brandon left. To be honest, none of us were.

"Like before, you must overcome a challenge that you have trouble conquering. However, there is a difference. Because your charmix is now mixed in with your enchantix, to resummon it you must overcome a task that you yourself now cannot conquer. After time and patience, something will come up that you don't want to face and there will be a moment when you will decide to do it and that is how you gain your charmix."

"Ms. Faragonda," shouted one girl, "That sounds like how we gained our charmix last time."

"Sounds like and experiencing that moment are two different things," Faragonda answered as she began her lesson. We the Winx club were partnered together when Faragonda gave us our first project: Creating a solid symbol or creature that represents all of us at first glance. By the time we were allowed to leave, Faragonda asked us to stay behind.

"I understand that you girls are upset with the specialists for leaving you at a time like this, but you mustn't feel that without their help you can't win against Cian."

"We thought he was at bay and then he used the blood control on us," Layla said, "We should've known better."

"Yes, but you were able to figure out how to cure it."

"True. And with my tecno-power, I was able to recognize Cian's blood from our own. Of course, we're all clear, but the stupid boys won't let us near them to check if their clear."

"You did a very good job checking everyone out, Tecna." She nodded and the rest of us remainded silent. "This isn't good. You girls are so shattered from the boys that you might not be able to fight."

"We'll be able to fight," Bloom replied in our defence, "We're still united as a club."

"Yes, I'm glad that's at least you girls are not upset with each other."

"Well, working at Cloud Tower every other night makes you used to the negative energy around you," Stella said unenthusiastically.

"Then I guess there's nothing more to say. You girls can go and we'll talk more later." We left the classroom and went towards our room. By the time the door closed, Stella drapped herself over the couch and sighed.

"I haven't heard from Brandon in ages! I tried calling him, but everytime I do it goes straight to voicemail."

"Yeah, I haven't heard from Sky either."

"Let's face it. They're never gonna talk to us again!"

"Don't say that, Musa," Layla said, trying to keep our spirits up, "Nabu's doing all that he can to bring those guys back to their senses."

"You're lucky, Layla," Flora mentioned with a sigh, "Nabu forgave you for hurting him and Helia won't forgive himself for hurting me."

"Boys are illogical. That's all there is to it."

"They also think that the world revolves them and their action," I added, "It's like, 'We hurt you, now we'll wallow in the shadows.' I mean, seriously?" Some of the girls giggled as I continued, "Take Matt, for instance, we're finally dating and enjoying ourselves and because he's taken over by Cian, he's the damsel in distress? He's acting like he's the victim."

"Technically, he was."

"True, but not the point Tecna. The point is: Specialists are trained to stick to a mission, not to desert it because of a bad battle. At Inter-Realms they would've been punished servierly and their weapons would be confiscated for a month!"

"Wimps."

"Exactly, Layla."

"They were supposed to protect us until Cian was destroyed," Stella announced, "So they went back on their word and need to be punished!"

"I agree with that!" Flora chimmed.

"Then let's go over there and give them a message that says, 'Never desert a Winx'," I suggested. The girls agreed and we began to head towards the balcony. I opened the doors with my spirits high and was about to create my wind current, when I noticed something on the balcony railing._ A potion?_ It was thin and as tall as my hand. I slowly approached it and noticed a note attached to it. Without touching the card, I gathered the loose wind strings around my fingers and lifted it up.

"To Bloom: I'm sorry to have been a jerk. This potion was something I was able to create to help keep the bad guys away while I'm not there. Please accept it. Love, King Sky."

"Sky left me a present?" Bloom asked. I passed her the card as she read it to herself. "It is from Sky!"

"Great," Stella said sarcastically, "There goes our plan to punish the boys."

"I wonder what type of potion is is?" Bloom asked aloud as she picked up her present.

"I can analyze it to see if it's safe to drink," Tecna suggested.

"I can also take a sample of it and figure out what types of plants were used to create it," Flora added.

"I'm sure it's safe to drink, but I can give you both a sample." While those three went inside, Stella growled in frustration before following after them.

"She doesn't seem too happy about Bloom getting a present from Sky," Layla said.

"Yeah well, she's probably jealous that Brandon didn't give her anything," Musa pointed out.

"Well might as well head back in," I replied, "Nothing's gonna be happening out here after all." I was the last to enter the room as Bloom sniffed the potion.

"It has a weird smell to it."

"The readings look harmless enough to me."

"The weird smell might be something from the crushed leaves of a plant," Flora mentioned, "Plants can give off beautiful and faul smelling aroma."

"Just think about the advantages this potion might give us," Bloom commented, "If this can protect one Winx, then I can put myself in the middle of trouble, buying time to create something that can weaken Cian."

"Hey, if it'll give us the upper hand, then it's something to consider."

"And it seems safe enough to me," Tecna replied.

"Alright. I just drink the whole thing, right?"

"That makes sense if you want the potion to work to the fullest," Layla answered.

"Bottom's up!" Bloom began to drink the potion and didn't stop. I noticed a black line run down her chin as everyone else watched her intently. Once she was done, a black semi-circle appeared above her upper lip, looking like a mustache. I couldn't help but laugh as Bloom licked her lips and wipped the black dribble away.

"That actually didn't taste so bad," she said, "But it wasn't that fabulous to drink either."

"You finished drinking that thing whole," Stella commented as she picked up the light blue bottle.

"How're you feeling?" Flora asked.

"I'm feeling, actually, really positive."

"That makes sense. If it's to keep the witches, silent-takers, and other weird creatures away, then we should be safe," Tecna pointed out.

"Well let's give it a try," Bloom suggested as she look at me. "Launch a dark spell on me."

"Is there any one in particular that you want me to use?" I asked jokingly. Bloom thought for a moment before answering, "How about the one we learned with Ms. Griffin? The 'Dark dimention' one."

"Alrighty then! Sorry to do this to you Bloom." I placed my hands up in their air, palms facing the ceiling. I centered my negative energy and shot it upwards. Once I felt my hands entangled with dark magic, I lowered them with force to face Bloom. "Dark Dimention!" I shouted as the electric black strokes headed towards Bloom. She sat there as the spell wrapped around her, not seeming scared or intimidated. The spell was finally complete when Bloom was completely surrounded in a sphere of Darkness (I know, sounds like Darcy's spell, but…that's what it looked like, and yet it wasn't that specific attack).

"Did you do it yet?" Bloom asked from within. I looked at the girls before shrugging my shoulders.

"Y-yes I did, Bloom. Do you see nothingness?"

"No, I see you guys." I paused as I stood in front of the black sphere.

"You see us?" I repleated.

"Yeah."

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Stella asked.

"Two."

"She's good."

"Bloom, are you telling me that you see everything? Like am I next to you like I was when I cast the spell?

"Nope. You moved in front of me. You look really confuse."

_Well no shit, Sherlock, I am._

"It seems that the potion is providing us with positive results," Tecna said, "We see a black sphere around her, yet she sees only the room and us."

"That's because we're full of positive energy and light magic," Musa added.

"Scarlet, you think you can transform into a vampire so see if the potion wards off creatures with Negative energy?" I shuddered and shook my head.

"Sorry, Tecna, I'd rather not, if that's ok."

"Don't worry about it," Bloom replied, "You transform enough as it is. Tonight we head on over to Cloud Tower, right? The potion should still be active then, so we'll test it out there." She got up out her chair I guess because the black sphere I was seeing rose. "Wanna head into town for some pizza?" I placed my right hand to the left of me and pulled it across, erasing the bubble surrounding Bloom that only she couldn't see.

"Now we can," Stella replied while throwing her arm around Bloom. As I followed them out the door, a chill of negative energy went up my spin. I looked behind me, on my guard, but only found our room like normal.

_Odd…Oh well._ I shrugged my shoulders and left.

[Meanwhile, at Red Fountain…]

(Saladin enters as Cordatorta looks down upon the specialists)

Cordatorta: (surprised) Saladin, I didn't see you coming.

Saladin: That's good. I can still sneak up on an enemy if need be.

Cordatorta: Worried about our specialists?

Saladin: I've never seen our best team so defeated before.

(The two look over in the quad as Helia's drawing a picture)

Cordatorta: Your nephew seems to be deep in the arts again.

Saladin: Helia's one of those men who'll give himself a punishment that he sees fit. Hurting the girl of his dreams results into great punishment…he believes.

Cordatorta: I've noticed that Riven doesn't even have the desire to fight anymore. It's strange since Riven always takes part in combat.

Saladin: They've all been affected greatly and it saddens me to see it.

Cordatorta: I'm surprised that you didn't encourage them to stay with the fairies of Alfea.

(There's a faint ringing and Helia picks up)

Helia: Hello?

Saladin: Well I don't think that it's going to be me who'll encourage them.

Helia: What is it, Nabu?

Codatorta: The wizard?

Saladin: He's proven himself to be very valuable to us and the team seems to be very happy with him. Plus, having someone who doesn't attend Red Fountain might be the key in making those boys focus on the mission again.

Helia: Alright, I'm heading there now. (Hangs up and leaves)

Cordatorta: I hope that it works.

Saladin: I hope so too.

[Following Helia…]

(Enter the room full of specialists. Nabu's in the center with his arms folded across his chest)

Helia: What's going on?

Nabu: We need to talk as a team.

Helia: (Places his art stuff down and sits by Timmy) About what?

Nabu: Hasn't this situation gone on long enough?

Sky: Nabu, you weren't possessed to hurt Layla.

Riven: That's right. We swore that we'd protect our girl, but we hurt them instead.

Timmy: But Nabu, Brandon, and I had to fight our girls willingly. That's worse because it was a conscious decision.

Nabu: Look, I'm not here to talk about what's worse or not. I'm here to say that we need to get back to protecting the girls. We promised them that we'd be there with them. We can't go back on our word!

Brandon: But how can we face them after hurting them so badly?

Nabu: If I recall, they hurt us pretty bad too, and they had to face the same thing with Scarlet being possesed. But you don't see them sulking. They understand the situation.

Helia: Even so…I hurt Flora…I remember the look she had. Such fear in her eyes…because of me…

Riven: I swore to myself that I'd never hurt Musa again. After all those times I've hurt her because of witches and dark spells, I wanted this to be different. But now…

Nabu: Guys, come on. This it taking it too far. What if the girls need our help now?

Sky: They're strong girls. They can handle things by themselves.

Nabu: (Becoming frustrated) You guys are sounding like wimps!

Timmy: Can you blame us?

Nabu: Yes, I can. Those four witches might be fighting them now and Bloom, Stella, Musa, Tecna, Flora, Layla, and Scarlet might be losing because we're not there. (looks over at Matt, who's sitting on the floor and leaning on his knee that's drawn up) You haven't said anything.

Matt: (Shrugs his shoulders) …

Nabu: I know that at least _you_ would want to help Scarlet, especially since you two just got together. She might think that you've dumped her.

Matt: I never said that I've dumped her.

Helia: None of us did. But it's true that they might think we…don't love them anymore.

Nabu: Thank you. Now we're getting somewhere. Come on guys, let's head on over to Alfea and help the girls out.

Fury: If you want to help them, then you better get through us first.

(Specialists and Nabu look out through the balcony doors and sees Fury breaking the glass with her powers. The glass scratches Matt and Riven the most since they were closest to the door while the others were scratched a little.)

Riven: Bitch, you return now?

Darcy: Oh, Riven, don't feel so upset. We just wanted to play with you, that's all.

Sky: (Drawing his sword and shield) You're gonna pay for what you made us do to the girls!

Icy: Oh, we're not going to pay. We have your blood and intend to get more. (Throws an ice attack that Sky blocks)

Stormy: Leave the wizard for me, sisters. I feel that I'll have fun with him.

Nabu: Wrong witch.

Sky: Let's go!

[Meanwhile, back at Alfea…]

"…and so then I ducked down and tripped him! It was a Scarlet win! That's why he's paying for dinner next time we go out. Well, if we ever go out again."

"Don't worry, Scarlet. The guys will pull through. They just need time."

"Well if that ever happens, Matt owes me dinner and I can't wait!"

"That's the spirit!"

"Well aren't you very positive, Bloom."

"This potion that Sky made for me is working wonders, Flora."

"It hasn't worn off yet?" Tecna asked.

"Nope! So what d'you girls wanna do now?"

"I think Sky should make you that thing more often!" Stella announced, "You're way more fun this way." Bloom stuck out her tongue and we headed back to our room.

"The school seems quiet," Flora commented.

"There's a freshman through junior thing Faragonda wanted to take them too, so I'm guessing Alfea's with the senior fairies," Tecna answered.

"But where're the other seniors?"

"Out, silly," Stella replied, "Having the school to ourselves is the best! Wouldn't you agree?" As we continued on with our babbles, negative energy began to stir within me. It was very subtle, but because I've been using black magic more than usual, I've been aware of things full negative energy more.

"Scarlet, you okay?"

"Musa, can you hear anyone or anything nearby?" Musa closed her eyes and I could feel the slightest vibrations coming from her. For about a minute, she stood very still. Slowly, her dark blue eyes looked into mine.

"I hear something, but it's not something that would be found in Alfea."

"Hey, Tecna?" Everyone stopped babbling as Tecna came towards me. "Can you scan the school for something that doesn't belong?"

"Sure." Tecna pulled up her hand laptop and began to type away on it.

"What's going on?" Layla asked.

"Scarlet and I sense something in the school."

"Do you know what it is?"

"Something with negative energy," I answered, "but it's faint. I can't tell if it's full of black magic and far away or only possesses little power and is right behind us." We paused as we looked around. Everything seemed normal. Finally Tecna grabbed our attention.

"There's something in the main hallway. Let's go check it out." With Tecna in the lead, we headed towards whatever was waiting for us. As we got closer, I began to sense its power. _Okay. It's powerful. Just far out of my reach._ Tecna slowed down and so did we. She put her laptop away and we split up on either sides of the entrance. I felt my eyes grow wide as I stared at the creature before me.

A black diamond shaped creature (the shape, not the jewel) with red, smaller diamonds scattered at random stood with its back towards us. Strips of red went across its arm as I noticed diamond shaped hands and feet the color of red. For fingers there were more diamonds (black) and everywhere it stepped…were red diamonds.

"Ick!" I heard Stella whisper, "What is that nasty thing?"

"Something sent to us from Cian is my guess," Layla answered.

"But how did it get through the barrier?" Flora asked, "Faragonda put it up and set a cerfew. It should keep negative creatures out."

"What're you talking about?" We all turned to Bloom who had a confused look on her face. "I don't see anything there. It's just the main hallway."

"It's sorta hard to miss," Musa mentioned, "It leaves red diamonds everywhere."

"Musa, have you gone over the edge?" We were all quiet as Stella placed her arm around Bloom's shoulders.

"Musa hasn't, Bloom. You have."

"Stella, please."

"Bloom," Flora began with a hint of worry in her voice, "Can you really not see anything in the main hallway?"

"No. I don't see anything except the main hallway itself."

"Oh dear."

"Let me scan you." Tecna pulled out her ladybug gadget (okay, where's she keeping this stuff?) and examined Bloom.

"Hurry up," Layla advised, "The creature's beginning to face this way!"

"I'm almost done."

"Here, I'll help too," Flora offered and signaled me, Stella, and Musa to cover the monster with Layla while Flora and Tecna worked together on figuring out what was wrong with Bloom.

"This creature's so weird," Musa commented, "It's nothing I've ever seen before."

"I know," Layla added, "Lord Darkar and Valtor's minions were…nasty."

"But we haven't seen its face," I reminded them, "Wait for it to turn around." Eventually it did and I immediately regretted it. It didn't have much…but I got major chills. It had big, red, diamond shape eyes that made me terrified of it and a huge grin. That evil grin that makes your bone quiver it's so scary.

"Tecna," I whispered, "It's looking this way. Are you done?"

"Yeah," she whispered back, "My scanners are picking up something that's numbing Bloom's ability to sense negative energy."

"Sounds a lot like Sky's potion," Flora pointed out.

"But I didn't get this kind of reading before Bloom drank it."

"I've still got my sample. I'll head back to the room and examin it."

"Thanks Flora." As Flora ran back to the room, Tecna continued, "If it is Sky's potion, then we've gotta protect Bloom."

"But Tecna, there's nothing to protect me from." Stella slapped her hand over Bloom's mouth.

"Quiet!" she hissed, "Or it'll hear you." I watched the creature's eyes move around and suddenly stopping on me. My legs began to give way. I felt like daggers were piercing my eyes and continuing to stab me down to my legs. Something then grabbed my hand and I was jerked back. Suddenly, I felt normal again.

"Looking into its eyes…not an option."

"Then let's transform," Layla suggested as she gave me back my wrist. With a nod, Tecna, Layla, Musa, Stella, and I said, "Magic Winx." The familiar wind surrounded me and began to feel my strength returning. Once I was fully dressed, I flew back onto my feet. Bloom struggled as Stella let eventually let her go.

"Stella, what're you-" Her mouth kept on moving, but no sound was heard. Bloom glared at Musa, who placed her hands on her hips and welcomed the glare.

"Layla, let's create a mirror," Stella whispered and the glaring continued, "Maybe we can some reversal thing that'll weaken the mosnter."

"Okay." Layla placed her hands out in front along with Stella. It was amazing to watch Layla covering the whole entrance way with her morphic liquid while Stella used her sun power to reflect. Suddenly a mirror stood before us as the creature looked within its own refelction (at least I was hoping it was).

"That might weaken the creature," Layla mentioned, "Looking at its own reflection could slow it down.

"Man, that thing's creepy!" Stella announced.

"We better meet up with Flora," Tecna recommended. She grabbed Bloom's hand and began to guide her towards our room. Bloom (still muted) tried to struggle against Tecna's grasp, but with the rest of us behind her, she finally gave up. I was towards the back when I heard the sound of glass breaking. When I turned around, I suddenly saw glass pieces flying towards me.

"RUN!"

[Meanwhile, at Red Fountain…]

(The witches continue to attack Red Fountain as all the students try to fight them. However, the Trix summon Silent-Takers and focuses on the top specialist team.)

Matt: (Launches arrows at Fury) Well, it's safe to say (dodges attack) that they're not attacking the girls.

Nabu: I'm glad that they're (dodge attack) not.

Icy: We can multi-task. (Out stretches herself) Ice Blizzard!

Nabu: (Creates a shield) These witches are getting predictable.

Fury: Oh yeah? How about this! (places her hands' wrists together, fingers and palms facing Nabu and Matt) Fear of Disaster! (Green pulses hit Nabu and Matt as random items in the room begin to form legs and mouths with razor sharp teeth. One of them bites Nabu. He screams in pain as the random item turned into Fury's dagger. Nabu growled as more items began to attack him and Matt.)

Matt: What the-

Fury: Didn't see that one comin' did you? Thanks for the blood, wizard boy. (Thows a green Ball at Matt and he's down)

Stormy: This is too easy! (Stikes a lightning bolt at Timmy and Helia) Hey, Fury, leave the wizard to me!

Icy: Stormy, don't tell me you're like Darcy in that you're growing all mushy on us.

Stormy: Hey, we're girls, right? It's one thing to pursue, but no one said being attracted to anyone was wrong.

Fury: It is when it's with a loser.

Stormy: Darcy had a thing for Riven.

Darcy: True. It's all attraction. Nothing mushy about that. (Gets hit with Riven's meteor hammer)

Riven: I was under a spell. There's no way that you'd ever be anything to me.

Darcy: Really? (Points at Riven and causes him to see her as Musa. Only to Riven, her voice is like Musa's) What about now? Think it's a trick?

(Matt notices Darcy's trick and shoots her with his arrows. When Darcy's hit, the spell's broken)

Matt: You okay?

Riven: No, but I will be once this witch's gone and I know Musa's safe.

Sky: Riven's right. Let's give these witches hell so we can check in on the Winx.

Brandon: (Large sword at hand) You said it, Sky. I wanna make sure my princess's untouched.

Icy: Both of your fairies are being sliced and diced by a creature made by none other than our master, Cian. (Throws another icicle attack)

Sky: (Uses his shield as Brandon used his double sword to knock Icy down) Let's finish this so we can rescue the girls.

Helia: Don't worry, Sky. There's nothing that's keepin' me from Flora.

[But…]

Blood was dripping all over the floor as we flew around the school, running away from the creature. The shattered glass was thrown at us followed by a raid of diamonds. My teeth were aching and Luna (nor the other pixies) was nearby. I tried to only breathe through my mouth so that I wouldn't be tempted to transform. Oddly enough, it helped a little bit. But when there was another raid of glass and diamonds, I'd freak and start breathing through my nose again. The smell of the Winx blood was heaven in liquid form.

"Are't those seven years of bad luck suppose to be affective now?" Stella frantically asked.

"That's just a superstition," Tecna shouted. She must've heard my heavy panting because she said, "We've gotta figure out a way to heal ourselves."

"And how can we do that?" Musa asked while ducking from shards of glass aiming towards her.

"I'll create a morphic shield," Layla suggested. My head began to feel heavy as my wings couldn't carry me anymore. I felt myself falling and landed on the ground, sliding and tumbling as I heard my friends call my name. I tried to get up, trembling as my arms gave way again.

"Again," I heard Layla say, "I'll create that shield, which should protect us from the raid." I looked up and watched Layla create a pink dome surrounding us as diamonds and glass bounced off and hit the creature instead.

"I can heal us with black magic," Tecna said, "With my techno-magic, I can expand the spell to hit all six of us." I felt hands grabbing my arms and pulling me on my feet. Stella was on my right and Musa was on my left, acting like cruches as Tecna created her negative energy. I felt it multiply quickly as Tecna had her arms wide open.

"Touq!" She shouted. The negative energy escaped her and hit me. Tecna's energy mixed in with my own, which helped trigger my vampire instincts. However, as my wounds healed and the smell of fresh blood lessened, I was able to use my wind magic to overcome the negative energy. Slowly, I pulled my hands from Stella and Musa and took a deep breath. The negative energy then withdrew back into Tecna and she sighed in relief.

"Thanks Tec," I replied, "I'm ready to fight."

"Good," Layla said, "I can't keep the shield up any longer."

"We should hurry to our room and get Flora," Musa suggested, "Maybe by now she's found something that can give us Bloom back."

"Then you, me, and Layla stay behind to fight," I announced, "Stella and Tecna can meet up with Flora and drop Bloom of at the room."

"You can't fight this yucky thing alone," Stella mentioned.

"We don't have much of a choice. Don't worry about us. We can handle this."

"We'll come back to help you," Tecna told us before the three of them left. Bloom tried to resist, but Musa held up an orange glow and said, "I'll give you your voice back if you go with Tecna and Stella to our room." Bloom pouted as she nodded. Musa threw the orange glow at Bloom and faced the moster with the rest of us.

With my right hand up in the air, I swooped it down, trapsing the air with my fingers and putting in my magic that soon transported me. When my hand reached my feet, I took the combination of the wind and my magic and warpped it around me as I spun around once. When I started my second spin, I released the magic that had covered me and found myself behind the creature. Like a magnet, the magic I had just used gathered within my right hand and I threw it at the monster. It stumbled forward and then turned around. Even though its facial expression hadn't changed, I could sense that it was mad.

"Sonic Blast!" I head Musa cry out as the monster was hit with her attack. It shook like it was a ripple of water and was pushed towards me. I took a few steps back before having my wings lifting me up a few inches above the ground.

"Morphic sphere!" Layla shouted afterwards, releasing two pink glow balls that smacked the monster on its face. I raised my hands in the air, palms facing each other, and summoned my magic in between. Once I felt it touching my skin, I swiftly lowered my arms and launched it at the diamond creepy demon.

"Come on girls!" I shouted, "Let's give him hell!"

[Meanwhile…]

Flora: This is so weird. I can't find anything that could create anything like this. (closes book) This potion must've been made either without plants…(eyes fall upon one of Griffin's textbooks that the Winx Club has for their night classes)…or there's something dark in there. (Picks it up and starts to look through it. After jotting down some random things, she closes the book) There're ingridients still missing…Let me check out Scarlet's books. (Goes and gets Scarlet's book as she hears the door opening)

Tecna: Flora, you here?

Flora: In my room. (Tecna and Stella guide Bloom into the room and closes the door) What's going on?

Stella: Musa, Layla, and Scarlet are fighting the diamond creature to give us time to cure Bloom.

Bloom: Stella, I don't need to be cured.

Flora: Let me finish lookionig up the ingredients for this potion. (Sits and begins to jot down while speaking) I'm noticing that these plants aren't the usual plants we use, but are from parts of the Magic dimension that we've never been too. Some of them aren't even from this realm.

Tecna: Cian really got us this time.

Stella: UGH! Everytime we think he's taking a vacation, he attacks! He never leaves us alone, does he!

Flora: Not until he gets all of our blood. (Finishes scribbling down everything and looks at her notes. Her eyes widen as she gasps)

Tecna: What's wrong?

Flora: This plant combination…it's so dangerous.

Stella: Is Bloom in grave danger?

Flora: I'm afraid she is. (Faces Bloom) The potion's in your blood stream.

Bloom: Come on, Flora, that's crazy. How could a potion I drink enter my blood stream? And why would Sky make me something dangerous?

Stella: Bloom, it wasn't Sky who sent the potion.

Flora: Fairies sense negative energy because of something they sense within their hearts. The fact that this potion's there, it could numb you forever.

Tecna: This isn't good at all. There's gotta be a way to stop it.

Flora: I'm not sure what the solution is yet, but all I know is that this potion is very dangerous and slowly numbs you more as time goes on.

(Hears an explosion)

Bloom: What was that?

Tecna: The others. They need our help.

Flora: Bloom, you must stay here. Don't leave this room.

Bloom: Flora, I don't-

Flora: Word of a winx. Don't leave this room.

Bloom: …okay. Word of a winx.

Flora: Good. (turns to face Stella and Tecna) Let's go.

[So, back to Scarlet…]

My back hit the banister of the stairway, sending a shocking pain through my body. I took a few deep breaths as I tried to heal my cuts. However, I was too weak (again) from the blood spilt. I covered my nose with my right hand and wrapped my left fingers within the strings of the air around us. Once I felt that they were secured, I pulled my hand back and said as loudly as I could, "Wind slicer," and then threw the strings as if I was throwing a ball. Five new slices appeared on the creature as the black and red blood continued to spill.

"This monster's crazy," Layla commented as she got up from the floor, "Nothing seems to work."

"And it keeps getting closer to our room," Musa added, "What's it after?"

"I'm not sure," I answered, "But my guess is one of us since Cian's trying to get all of our blood." I notice the Layla placed her wrists together as a pink ball began to grow.

"Then we should try to make it talk." She raised the ball and then threw it at the creature shouting, "What're you after?" When the creature didn't speak, she continued on throwing the pink balls, asking the same question over and over again.

"Bloom," I heard it finally say. I felt my blood within me freezing as its words echoed within me.

"D-Did it say Bloom?" Musa asked.

"It did," Layla answered, "How fortunate that Bloom can't see it." I did my best to stand up as I breathed through my mouth. One sniff of blood and I'd transform. _I refuse to transform!_ I placed my hands out and summoned my silver liquid to form. I did my best to transform it into my sword, but I was too weak. Instead, I used the liquid to create two plain silver arrows and launched them at the creature. My left one hit its main body while the right hit a red diamond. Red blood from the black part of the body spilled as the black blood from the red diamond dripped to the floor.

"Nasty," I heard Layla mutter.

"It's worse than before!" The three of us turned around and saw Flora, Tecna, and Stella ready to fight.

"It's after Bloom," Musa announced, "Coincidense that Bloom can't sense its presence?"

"We've gotta figure out a way to save Bloom." Flora folded her middle and ring finger on her left hand as golden specks hit the ground. "Green luxuriant ivy." The green plant wrapped itself around the diamond creature as Flora helped me to my feet. "What about water from the Lake of Wonders?"

"That's a negative," Tecna answered, "If we go to get water, Bloom could be nothing but striped pieces of flesh."

"EW!" Stella shrieked, "Don't talk about our friend like that!"

"Girls," I cautiously said as I pointed towards the creature, "It's cutting through the vines." With Flora's help, I got to my feet and was prepared to fight. "This is getting pathetic. Why can't we beat it?"

"Because you're not what it wants." My heart froze as I heard the new voice. Somehow, I felt my blood pumping frozen blood throughout my body, causing me to be very still. From behind the diamond creaute, a man stood before us. He wore black jeans, black shoes, a black button down shirt, all matching his black hair and pale skin. But what really caught me were his eyes: his eyes were bright crimson, like pools of spilt blood. A smirk grew across his lips.

"Bloom, princess of Domino, is the only fairy that my creature, Diamond, is going after." His voice was smoothe, yet chilling at the same time. Deceiving. Manipulative. "It's a pitty that you girls keep getting in the way."

"We're not gonna let you near Bloom," Stella said, grabbing her ring from her finger and ready to summon it.

"Stella, princess of Solaria. A beautiful girl like you shouldn't be fighting something like this." Stella paused from the compliment and shook her head.

"I am beautiful, but I need to fight to protect Bloom."

"You don't have to do anything for anyone. You're a princess." Stella remained hesitant I guess, but I wasn't sure; my eyes remaind on the man as he continued to stare at me.

"I'm feeling…fuzzy," I heard Stella say.

"Who are you?" Layla asked. The man's smirk grew into a smile, showing us his teeth. Two white fangs caught my eye as I clenched my fists ever so tightly. He took a theatrical bow and said,

"Cian. Cian Carden."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: All that is Revealed

I couldn't believe it. The guy who destroyed my planet and my school, slaughter my friends, boyfriend, and family; the guy who's currently after my friends that're alive along with my new boyfriend was here. Standing before me. I could see him. I could hear him.

"So this is our guy," Musa commented.

"If you're looking for a vampire soucerer, then yes, here I am Musa." Something went off in Musa's eyes. They grew harsher towards him as he continued to talk. "As it is an annoyance to fall behind schedule, I must applaude you for your survival from my attacks. You girls are really something."

"How did you manage to get through the barrier?" Tecna asked, ready to fight.

"Isn't it not eight o'clock yet?"

"Well then you're walking right into trouble," Layla threatened, "We're stronger than ever."

"I see that," Cian said with a chuckle behind his voice, "However, with your headmistress gone, you're on your own."

"We can take care of you!" Stella shouted. This time she must've pulled off her ring because I heard her say, "Solaria!" Cian looked at all of us and placed his hand behind Diamond.

"Go find Bloom." The creature screamed and charged toward us.

"Sun Beam!" Stella cried, using her staff to block the creature. However, the creature caught the attack and threw it back at Stella. Tecna tried to launch an attack, but it released a raid of diamond on us. I felt a few stings here and there, but I remaind focused on Cian.

"He got away," Layla shouted, "What should we do?"

"We must go after him," Stella answered.

"But Cian's right here," Musa reminded her.

"Bloom can't defend herself," Tecna pointed out, "There's no way for her block any of Diamond's attacks."

"So we can't leave Bloom alone, but the main enemy's before us."

"Well put, Flora," Cian said. I noticed that she took a step back. My stomach turned awkwardly at the sound of his voice. I discovered that I hated it. It was a sound I didn't want to hear. I felt my negative energy growing a bit, but I did my best to calm it down. Having blood around didn't help much, but breathing some how managed to cause the pain to cease.

"Leave Cian to me," I finally said. My eyes never left his as I heard my friends protesting against it. "You've gotta save Bloom. I've got some score to settle with this guy."

"Scarlet, no!" Flora cried, "You can't fight him alone."

"Flora, please." Somehow, she was able to sense what I felt: The desire to know why this guy destroyed those I loved.

"Be careful."

"Flora!" The other girls cried.

"Come on. We've gotta save Bloom." As I heard them fly away, I gather the wind to center in each hand.

"Scarlet Avila," he said as if tasting the words in his mouth, "How I've been looking for you."

"Really? I couldn't tell." He chuckled.

"You sound like your mother." I felt my jaw tighten as he mentioned her. "The way she always commented on a serious situation with a sarcastic tone in her voice."

"Let's get to the point: I've got questions and you're going to answer them."

"And what makes you think that I'll answer your questions?"

"Because if you don't, I'll ask my questions with my fists." I gathered wind within my hands as he chuckled again.

"And how would a senior wind fairy be able to take down a great vampire sorcerer?"

"Maybe not a regular wind fairy, but a wind fairy who's full of warrior skills and mysterious spells has a better chance."

"You left one thing out."

"Answer my questions."

"You forgot about something else that you have."

"If you don't let me ask my questions-"

"What about your vampire trait?" Quickly, I locked on the wind within my left hand and threw it at Cian. He moved his head to my left and dusted his shoulder. "Fiesty, aren't you." I switched weapons and created a silver ball in my left hand with a wind ball still on my right.

"I'll continue to attack depending on the answers you give me. Answer my questions and this will be nothing more than a verbal match." Cian paused and thought about it before crossing his arms and saying, "Fine."

"Where're my parents?"

"How do you know I have them?"

"I know you killed them and their bodies haven't been found. Where are they?"

"How do you know they're dead?" With my patients surprisingly running very thin, I threw the wind ball in my right hand at Cian. Swiftly I began centering my magic around my hand, attracting the wind to surround it. He caught my wind ball and made it disappear within his hands.

"We're not playing 'Questions only', Cian. Tell me where their bodies are now!" He looked at me differently as his crimson eyes held mine.

"Their bodies are held captive within my palace."

"Why?"

"Because I need them."

"You don't need dead bodies. No migic in the universe can bring back the dead."

"If that's the case, then they can't be dead." I felt a ripple of emotion spreading through my body. I tried to swallow the lump forming in my throat, but it was too dry.

"Then you admit that they're…alive?" I asked slowly so as not to burst into sudden tears of joy. I kept my guard up and had my attacks on stand-by.

"Yes. Lolita and Damian are alive and well, safely locked away in my prison cell." I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Did you take anyone else?"

"The Royal family." I pinched my lips together and held my breath. _Princess Kayla's alive. She and my parents are alive. She, her parents, and my parents are alive!_

"Why?" I asked, my voice not trembling or shaking with hope.

"Because they know you best and I can learn more about you from them."

"Have you had any success?"

"Unfortunately no, but I can sense certain emotions. Damian can too. And so can you. It's deep within the blood, isn't it?"

"Why're you after me?"

"Because you're my number one suspect of being what I'm looking for: The Balance."

"I can assure you that I'm not. You need a full vampire for that. I'm only half." Cian suddenly burst out laughing and I couldn't help but feel more anger towards him. Negative energy began to seep through my wind magic and I tried to calm down.

"I see that your father and mother have manipulated you too into thinking that you're only half. Silly fairy. Or rather, silly vampire." I pinched my lips harder together and focused on my wind energy as he continued, "As I'm sure you're well aware, a pure vampire who posses light and dark magic is the Balance. You're the only person who fits that description."

"That's not true," I said through my teeth.

"Scarlet," I shivered as he said my name. It sounded like a whisper inside my head, "there's no such thing as a half vampire. There only can be full and pure."

"That's not true," I whispered as I felt my body trembling from anger. The negative energy inside of me began to burn. I began to breathe through my nose and could smell blood around me. My teeth began to ache so much that I cut my lips from pushing them against the slightly forming fangs.

"With your brain and knowledge of the vampire race, you must know that the venom a vampire has cannot only take over half a person. It's too powerful for a mere human to withstand only half of it."

"That's not true!" My wind magic disappeared as I felt myself struggling with the vampire instincts that wanted to take over. I tried to hold it back, but I also didn't want to give Cian a reason to attack. A smirk grew across his lips as he began to approach me. I tried to summon my wind power to my hands, but I wasn't able to. Panic crawled through my skin. _Shit! I'm switching! I'm in my vulnerable state!_

"I feel your frustration. Your blood rushes with the desire to hold back your power."

"You're wrong!" I closed my eyes and tried to summon magic again, but that only caused more trembling. A cold finger went under my chin as I opened my eyes. He lifted up my head and I was staring into the pools of blood that were his eyes. They swirled as I saw his white fangs shining as he smiled.

"Scarlet Avila, daughter of Lolita and Damian Avila, you are a full blooded vampire. Within you, pure vampire instincts stir and there's nothing that you can do to change that." He came closer to me. "Deal with it, little vampire."

Something in my mind snapped as my fangs grew. Suddenly, I felt myself being pulled away as darkness surrounded Cian's evil grin.

[Meanwhile…]

(The Winx hurry to their room as fast as they can)

Tecna: Why aren't we helping Scarlet to fight off Cian?

Flora: Because she wants to know what happened to her parents and people. For now, getting answers will be stronger than trying to fight him.

Musa: There's something that I don't like about him. There's something in his voice that gives me the chills.

Stella: I know. I felt really weird when he mentioned how I shouldn't fight.

Layla: Well let's hope that Bloom's alright because we're here and I don't see any weird creature.

(They enter their room and call out for Bloom. There's a scream from her room and the girls head towards Bloom, who as three lines across her arm dripping with black blood instead of red. Her hand rests over it as if trying to stop the bleeding.)

Stella: Okay, that's nasty.

Musa: Why's Bloom's blood black?

Tecna: I'm not sure. Is it possible that it's the potion?

Flora: (Flies towards Bloom) Are you alright?

Bloom: Yeah. I was just drawing when all of a sudden the door opened on its own. I went to close it, but then felt something cut my arm. (She lifts up her hand as her eyes grow wide.) B-black? (She looks around frantically and rubs her eyes with the back of her stained hand.) I see something, and yet I don't.

Flora: Then the black liquid must be the potion! Tecna's right.

Tecna: Since you've been cut, the potion's pouring out.

Layla: Then I guess that means that the potion was in her blood stream.

Bloom: (Blinks before growing angry) This monster's been hurting us. How could have I been so stupid?

Flora: You were under a spell. Because the potion's wearing out, your sense for negative energy's returning.

Bloom: (Places her hand over her wound.) Touq! (The black liquid pours out as it heals) Bloom magic Winx! (she transforms and points to the monster) I'm gonna punish you for what you did to me and my friends. (Launches an attack.)

[At Red Fountain…]

(The specialists are barely winning. Fury casts a spell that makes the guys see that because they abandoned the Winx Club, their girls are suffering greatly)

Fury: Thanks to you, not only were we able to gain the blood of these girls, but we were also able to kill them for good!

Stormy: After all these years of defeat, we finally gain the upper hand.

Darcy: Without the Winx girls, your life seems meaningless.

Icy: Why don't you die with them? By giving us your blood you'll be meeting them in the world beyond.

(They cackle away as the boys struggle.)

Sky: They…can't be…dead…

Brandon: We've…gotta keep fighting…for them.

Timmy: But how? These witches…are too powerful.

Helia: There's only four of them…and seven of us.

Nabu: (Gets up, ready to fight) This is just an illusion. There's no way Layla or the girls would be defeated tha easily.

Riven: (Meteor hammer in hand) You're gonna pay for even laying a finger on Musa.

Matt: (Has his two samurai swords at hand, blades facing away from the witches. He smirks at the witches) There's no way that those girls would go down that easily…especially Scarlet. (Jumps and slices Fury.)

(Riven follows and throws his hammer at Darcy followed by Nabu's magic. The witches are all suddenly attacked by the specialists and struggle against them.)

Helia: (Having Stormy warpped within his grappler thing) She's all secured for you, Timmy.

Timmy: (Aiming his arrow launcher at Stormy) Let's see how she reacts to this! (releases three arrows as it hits her. She freaks as blood drips down her chin)

Helia: Nice shot.

Timmy: That's for Tecna!

Helia: (Throws Stormy to the ground harshly) That's for Flora.

Sky: (Throws his boomerang as he rides his shield around Icy. She tries to use her icicles against him, but he dodges.) Brandon!

Brandon: (Jumps and spins his double sword as he then knocks Icy down) Think you can weaken us by showing our girls being defeated?

Sky: Don't you know that that makes us stronger? (Lunges his sword at Icy, who dodges the attack).

Icy: I can't believe that they're still fighting.

Stormy: Yeah, it's like they're winning.

Darcy: Well, we have magic.

Fury: Yes. Sisters, time for us to pull out some ancient spells. (The four gather their energy as the guys plan a group attack. However, the Trix freeze and look at one another. A grin grows across each of their face.) It seems that Scarlet's transformed.

Icy: Then we must get her blood.

Matt: (Places his two samurai together, which causes a red string to form at the tips of each blade. He brings his hand forward and mimes drawing an arrow. As he pulled his hand back, an arrow forms. His voice is quiet.) Leave my girlfriend alone, bitches. (He releases the arrow that happens to cross their path. However, they head on to Alfea.)

Sky: Alright, let's go after them!

[So let's follow the witches…]

(The Trix enter Alfea and see Cian standing before Scarlet in her full vampire form. They're in total shock)

Fury: M-Master Cian? What're you doing here?

Cian: Behold, witches. The true form of what I've been looking for.

Icy: Are you sure Scarlet's the Balance?

Cian: I'm more than possitve. She's got pure vampire blood within her. I can sense it. And she performed light magic before me earlier. I prevoked her to transform and now I see her true form: The Balance.

Stormy: She doesn't seem any different than before.

Cian: Patients. Scarlet's wild; untamed. As she continues her training here and at Cloud Tower, her powers will grow and eventually the light and dark magic will mix together. Only then will I know that she's ready for me.

Darcy: But how long will that take?

Cian: (His eyes remain on Scarlet) I don't know. But I'll watch her. (He pauses before nodding his head towards her.) Get some of her blood.

(The Trix summon their daggers and try to get Scarlet. However, she grows stronger with each dodge and continues to defeat the witches. On the other hand, she keeps attacking Cian, who still misses her attacks, but has a harder time now than earlier. The witches continue to try, but eventually each of them is slammed against the wall.)

Cian: (Senses something) Trix, retreat. The Winx are returning.

Fury: (Wiping the blood from her mouth) Yes sir.

(They retreat)

[So now let's rewind a bit and pick up from where Scarlet just loses her conscious…]

Someone was calling my name. A familiar voice that I felt has saved me before. I slowly open my eyes and see a blur of a girl with long blonde hair. However, once I saw her dark, black eyes I knew who she was.

"Scarlet! Are you alright?"

"B-Blanche?" I saw her sigh in relief as she pressed a hand over her chest.

"I'm so glad that you're alright. Can you sit up?" I slowly pulled myself up and looked around.

"The Lake of Wonders? How'd I get here? I'm supposed to be at Alfea fighting Cian. " Blanche had a slight look of pain as I said his name. She shuffled awkwardly on her knees and tucked a strand of wavy blonde hair behind her ear. It seemed like she was only upset for a moment because she was suddenly smiling again and got me on my feet.

"How you got here is something that's difficult to explain." I rolled my eyes and forced out a laugh, making it clear that I was pissed as hell at the situation at hand.

"Ha! Great. Another crazy explanation to add on my list. First I'm what Cian's after, then I discover that I've got the strength of a full vampire, then I find out that there's no such thing as a half vampire, so I must be a full one!" I felt myself growing angrier and angrier at the thought when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry." I looked over my right shoulder and saw Blanche's sympathetic black eyes gleaming at me. "I don't have to tell you now. We can wait. You're upset about discovering the truth. That's normal."

"Truth?"

"The full vampire bit. I know you don't believe it now, but in time-"

"Wait," I moved back a bit, putting a few feet between me and Blanche. "are you seriously telling me that I'm a full, pure blooded vampire?" Blanche nodded and held her hands together. "I don't believe this," I muttered. Anger stirred inside of me as I paced around the area. The wind wrapped around me, blowing my long black hair in front of my eyes. With frustration, I pulled it out of my face, pulling a few strands as a result. Everytime I looked over at Blanche, she looked more upset than the last. Eventually, I threw my hands in the air and approached her.

"Okay then. Now that I know everything's a lie, how'd a get here? I'm supposed to be at Alfea." Blanche continued to play with her fingers, shaking her head and taking deep breaths. I crossed my arms and waited for her to speak.

"In some ways, you're here, and yet, you're not." I stared at her blankly and shrugged my shoulders. She sighed, stood up, and looked at me. "You are here. You feel the wind, hear my voice, and see all that's around you. And yet, you're also still at Alfea, fighting that man with all your might."

"That makes no…" I slowly cut off my sentence and dropped my arms. _Come to think of it, the last thing I remember is Cian telling me I was a pure vampire. Then I got really mad and suddenly…blacked out._ I began to pace again as my mind kept thinking.

_The same thing happened when I first blacked out. And the same thing with Stella. My vampire instincts took over…and lost conscious._ I stopped walking and stared into my reflection within the shallow end of the lake. _Cian took advantage of my anger and caused me to transform. _

"So I'm unconscious then," I finally said aloud. Blanche nodded as she took a hesitant step closer to me.

"This also happens when you're asleep. Your vampire powers stir inside of you and bring you here. When your body's holding back your vampire powers, they push through, knocking you out cold. And yet they bring your conscious here."

"Isn't this just…a dream?" I asked trying to see if my facts were straight.

"This is no dream, Scarlet." She finally walked all the way towards me and took my hand into hers. She placed my right hand over her chest. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment as I tried to pull it away, but Blanche's grip was too tight.

"What do you feel?" she asked me.

"Nothing. Look, can I have my hand back?" I looked into her eyes, her eyes that reminded me of my mother. Those brave eyes calmed down my embarrassment as I concentrated to feel something.

"I still feel nothing." Blanche's grip tightened as she placed her right hand over my chest. At first I flustered, but then froze stiff. Her eyes became glassy as a tear rolled down her cheek. My left hand pressed her hand closer to my heart.

"Blanche…" She copied me and pressed my hand against my chest.

"It's here where spirits of the dead live if they wish to remain in contact with the world of the livng." Somehow, I don't know why, but tears gathered in my eyes as my grip tightened over her hand.

_She's feeling my heartbeat. She's feeling something she hasn't felt in years. She can't leave here like I can_. Blanche finally let go of my hand and withdrew hers.

"The Lake of Wonders: One of the purests spots in Magix," I whispered. Blanche gave me a sad smile and wipped the tears off my cheek.

"It's pure because spirits like me can reach those who they care most about."

"But, I'm not pure. I'm also not…" I didn't want to say dead, but Blanche shook her head.

"It's actually because of your vampire powers that you are able to be here." I must've given her a confusing look, because she giggled slightly and nodded. "It's true. Actually, if you hadn't contained your vampire powers, you wouldn't know about this until much later." I felt my legs giving way and plopped myself to sit in the shallow end of the lake. Blanche joined me as her smile grew.

"In your sleep, you were here. Ever since I first saw that night in your fairy form I knew that the time has come."

"What time?" Blanche shook her head and looked up at the sky.

"Something I can't explain yet. Our time right now's ending."

"Wait." She was about to get up when I reached for her hand. "I've got so many questions I wanna ask, but-"

"Ask only one of them now. Any question you ask, I'll answer." I quickly looked through the questions within my mind before chosing one. I took a deep breath and said, "If you're no longer in my world, then why're you here with me when you should be with your family?" Blanche looked down at the water as a faint smile of memory appeared on her face.

"I didn't have time to contact them or watch over them. I was so young and didn't know what to do." She looked into my eyes as I felt the wind wrapping around me. I held onto her hand tightly as I heard her speaking perfectly clear through the roaring wind. "But I knew that I had a destiny to fulfill. And that destiny, Scarlet, is with you." The wind was so strong that I closed my eyes. I was still holding onto her. I can't leave if she's dead, but she also can't cross into my world. Suddenly, her hand turned into air, and I was tumbling back into Alfea.

"Scarlet, Scarlet!" Familiar voices of different sounds echoed in my ear. I felt warmth, too. The heat carried a particular scent that filled my nose. A sweet, rich scent made my stomach flip along with the tight grasp that was around me. _Is it someone's blood? No, it's different. It's like something one of the specialists wears._ I slowly opened my eyes and found myself staring at a face covered with sweat, filth, and blood. However, it was the pair of ice blue eyes that caught my first glance. I heard their owner chuckle.

"Finally awake sleepy head?" I gave him a confused look as I reached up to touch his face. Through the sticky sweat, filth, and blood, I could feel the skin of of a brave warrior. I traced his eyes as he continued to look at me. Familiar voices continued to speak around me, but I couldn't distinguish them. He removed his hand that was over my stomach and gently stroked my hair.

"Looks like you enjoy toying with my desire for you." He continued stroking my hair as he brought some of it in front of me giving me a devilish look as I stared at the ends of my hair…my long hair.

A jolt of energy shot through me as I screamed with shock. I began to pant as I frantically looked around me. I noticed that I was back in my regular clothes of my white tank, jean skirt, and navy boots. Matt looked worried and confused as he reached out towards me. He grabbed my hand and (I don't know how he did it) swept me into arms, one under my knees and the other across my shoulder blades. His left knee was up as he chuckled again.

"What's gotten into you, Scar? Scared of your boyfriend all of a sudden?"

"Matt!" I turned my head and saw Musa with her hands on her hips and an angry look on her face. She was still in her fairy form and looked as if she had been fighting for some time. "Stop teasing her."

"Matt?" I asked confusingly.

"_Aw, come on, Scarlet. Just because your conscious is back in your body doesn't mean you have memory lost."_

_Blanche? …Blanche!_

"Holy Shit!" I shouted as another jolt of energy shot through me. Accidentally I punched Matt in the rib caged as I looked at my friends, all in their fairy forms and tired from a battle. "What happened? Are you alright? Anyone hurt?" I froze as I heard Matt's coughing and looked back at him. Suddenly, everything came back to me.

"Aren't I mad at you?" Matt shook his head as he continued on coughing. I looked back at my friends and pointed at him. "Aren't I mad at him?"

"We're all mad at the guys," Stella reminded me, "Because they weren't here with us, Bloom got sliced badly."

"They got my blood, Scarlet," Bloom explained, "I was blinded by Sky's potion and that creature got me." She extended her left arm out and I saw three white lines towards her shoulder. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I'd caused in not believing you." I reached out and held her hands in mine.

"No one's blaming you, Bloom."

"I blame the specialists," Stella said, "Again, it all leads back to they weren't there for us."

"Princess, I've already told you that I'm sorry."

"Well sorry isn't enough." Brandon looked worried as Sky interrupted.

"Bloom, I swear, I didn't send any potion. I'm a specialist. We don't do things like potions and whatnot."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but can you tell me what happened to my school?" We all looked and saw Faragonda followed by the professors and the freshman through junior students. She was in total shock as Griselda glared down at us.

"Just as I suspected, headmistress. The girls decided to have some fun with the boys and now our school has suffered for it." With Bloom's help, I was able to get to my feet as I spoke.

"Cian Carden appeared." I was surprised to not hear any gasping or nervous whispering from the students and professors. Instead, Faragonda adjusted her glasses and gestured towards the faculty.

"Professors, take the students outside. When the seniors return from wherever they are, make sure they remain on the quad. Griselda, with me." She came towards us as the professors shooed the girls outside. "Now why don't you fourteen tell me what happened here." No one spoke at first. I looked at my friends who were all silenced by not knowing what happened when Cian was left alone with me.

"It started when I sensed a dark creature in the main hall…" I began, explaining all that I witnessed and the girls jumped in at different times to explain other things that I had left out. Tecna explained what happened with Diamond while Bloom apologized refusivly about being blinded by a potion. The boys remained silent as I started talking about my conversation with Cian. Even though Matt was still on the ground next to me, I had to let Faragonda know.

"…He truly believes that I'm the Balance and said that there's no such thing as a half vampire, but only full and pure ones. I still don't believe that I'm it, but he got to me and I…sorta lost my temper." Faragonda nodded and gave me a kind smile.

"You did everything right. It's true that you're in no condition to fight Cian at this time, so might as well try to get anything he knows." I nodded as I closed my eyes, thinking about Blanche.

_Maybe now's not the best time to mention Blanche. Everyone's got a lot of stuff already on their minds. Later might be best._

"Well girls, I think you and the specialists should wait outside like the rest. Catch up on time you've missed apart." I felt heat rise into my cheeks as I looked at Matt, who was looking away from me as if denying Faragonda's request.

"Come on, girls, let's not keep the headmistress waiting," Griselda pressured. The girls transformed back into their clothes and we all quietly went outside. Bloom was in front as she led us to the more abandon parts of campus. Once we were separated from the other students, she turned around and sighed.

"That was some battle."

"It was," Layla second, "Cian actually appeared." Her eyes fell upon mine as I did my best to smile. "Were you able to get any answers out of him?" I took a seat on a bench close by and clenched the hem of my jean skirt.

"I was able to ask about my parents and my people. Cian, I believe, killed everyone except for the royal family and my parents."

"Scarlet, that's wonderful news!" Flora said with a smile, "Do you know if they're hurt?"

"Cian said that he needed them to stay alive to provide him with information about me." A sigh escaped my lips. "I feel so horrible right now." I shook my head and looked up at my friends. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that they're alive. I just feel…so useless."

"You're not useless," Nabu replied, "Your magic is very powerful."

"Not enough, apparently. My light magic was nothing on him. I'm guessing my dark magic did better." I sighed again as I noticed Musa taking the seat next to me.

"You're parents are alive somewhere," she repeated, "One day you'll have your family again. You'll see you mom, your dad, and the royal family that know you so well." She looked at me and smiled. "There's hope for you now to fight harder than before."

"You can probably talk to Ms. Griffin about your dark powers," Tecna added, "Maybe she can pinpoint the type of magic you have and that can help you feel…less useless." She took out her little laptop and held it out to me. "I can monater your powers through my tecno magic. That is, if you're okay with it." I took her laptop into my hands and opened it. It wasn't on, but there was something that made me feel a little releaved. The thought of a friend watching my powers grow made me feel safe.

"Thanks Tecna." I passed her laptop back to her as Stella coughed very noticeably and loudly.

"Now that Scarlet's feeling better, I wanna know why you guys left us?"

"That's our Stella," Bloom whispered, "She wants to take the attention away from the real problem and focuses it on trivial matters." She winked at me as Brandon shook his head and raised his hands up in defense.

"We were ashamed, okay? We were upset that we hurt you."

"I believe that _I_ was the one attacking _you._"

"Stella, I had to consciously hurt you. Can you imagine how torturous that was for me?" Stella pouted and flicked her hair away.

"Give it up, Brandon," Sky suggested, resting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Look, we're sorry. We're all upset about hurting you and thought it would be better to stay away."

"But when those witches came," Riven added, "They prevented us from leaving Red Fountain. They said that you had troubles of your own and tried to make us believe that you all died." He looked over at Musa, who blushed a little before averting her eyes.

"They were really strong," Matt continued, "But when they kept on repeating, 'Those girls are dead. Die with them,' it made us think that they were lying and trying to deceive us."

"In the end though," Helia concluded, "We were able to pull through. Then we rushed over here in hope that…you'd forgive us for leaving." Flora gasped a bit as he led the other specialists down on one knee in a bow. Nabu was the only standing, so he just gave us a thumbs-up.

"Told you I'd get these boys to come to their senses." Flora approached Helia and lifted his head.

"Nothing is going to stop me from loving you," she whispered, "Not even if you or I are possessed and destined to kill one another." He rose with her and the other specialists followed. As Helia pressed her hand against his cheek, I noticed Matt approaching me. Musa's presence disappeared, allowing him to stand closer. Once he stood in front of me, he avoided eye contact. I watched my friends making up with their boyfriends and then back at my own.

"You wanna sit down?" I finally suggested, "It's weird that you're standing there doing and looking at nothing. At least if you sit you're just…looking at nothing." A small, croocked smile showed on his face as he took a seat next to me. I noticed that Tecna and Timmy were having trouble making up.

"Why'd you leave us? We needed you here," I heard Tecna say with worry and annoyance in her voice.

"I'm really sorry, Tec. I was upset about hurting you."

"I know you were, but if you guys hadn't have left, none of this would have happened." Timmy placed his hands on her shoulders and shook his head.

"We can't predict what was going to happen if we chose differently. The way we acted was illogical and we're sorry about it. I'm sorry about it." Tecna thought for a minute before smiling and wrapping her arms around him. I looked back at Matt as he continued to stare down at the ground. His elbows rested on his knees, allowing his arms to hang in between them.

"So you battled against the witches alone, huh?" I asked, trying to start up a conversation. He nodded and forced out a chuckle.

"Yeah."

_Okay, is this all I'm gonna get from this guy? At first he's all, 'You're toying with me,' and now he's mister I'm-so-depressed-right-now? Jerk. _I gave up on Matt and decided to watch Bloom and Sky.

"Those witches probably created the potion," he explained, "They probably wanted to get back at you for all the past times you defeated them."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you were right." She paused and looked into his eyes. "I'm glad that you came back."

"Me too." She took a step closer as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I missed you." He laughed softly and held her close.

"Me too." I couldn't help but smile as I leaned back on the bench.

_Everyone's happy with their guy and mine's depressed. Lucky me._

"Thanks, Nabu. You really brought the team back together."

"I wasn't gonna let you down." I turned my head to the right and saw Layla gently punching Nabu.

"Well you could never let me down. You haven't thus far, so I don't see why you'd wanna." Nabu shrugged his shoulders and he looked over at me. Layla followed his stare as she began to glare at Matt. She mimed me to try and talk to him, but I shook my head. Layla began to flip out as I began to ignore her and look elsewhere.

I couldn't help thinking about Blanche. The more I thought about it, the more I began to realize that maybe the voice I kept on hearing when I was transforming from fairy Scarlet into vampire Scarlet belonged to her. _Breathe. She always said that. But how does she know that that helps? Why does she know that?_ I paused within my mind before thinking, _And what's this "time" that makes her path and mine cross over one another?_

"Musa, I said that I was sorry."

"You always do this, Riven. You always say that you're not gonna let things get in the way of our relationship, but you do!"

"I was mad at myself for hurting you."

"You were under a spell!"

"I'm always under a spell!" Riven was so loud that everyone stopped and looked at him, including Matt. Riven took a few breaths before continuing, "Darcy, Mandragora, black magic is always taking me over. Why? I dunno. I know I'm not the friendliest person in the world, but I care about my team. They're my friends and I like working with them. But they can look after themselves. They can't graduate if they can't. But you…" He held her face as Musa's cheeks began to glow red again. "…You're the reason I break these spells and fight my ass off. If someone dares to hurt you, then they're dead." I prayed to the wind spirits that Musa was breathing. Thanks to them I figured out that she was, though she remained frozen from Riven's speech. Everyone began to talk again amongst themselves as Musa buried her face in Riven's chest. I smiled for a moment before my eyes falling on Matt. My face began to lose that smile and pouted instead.

_And Matt refuses to-_

"I never thought he'd be that much in love with her." I felt my heart jump as Matt's voice rang out next to me. "When we were kids, he hated girls. I'm glad to see that he grew out of it."

"Why'd he hate girls?"

"His mother left him." I looked away from Matt and was speechless. "Dunno why and I really don't care. But I'm really relieved that Musa's there for him. She's the type of girl for him." Finally, he looked at me. His ice-blue eyes always seem to catch me off guard.

"Long hair really suits you, though." I felt my blood burning my skin a bit as I looked away.

"Well don't get used to it," I replied, grabbing my long hair and pulling it all to drap over my right shoulder, "It gets in the way." Suddenly, I felt a hot puff graze the back of my neck. A chill went down my spine. Matt sat right behind me. I felt the heat come off his body. I saw his right arm resting on top of the bench while the other remained on his leg.

"Even after a long battle, you smell just as good as I remember." His left arm wrapped around my waist as he held me close; his right crossing slightly above my chest. I felt his head resting on my left shoulder, his forehead pressed against my neck.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm sorry for hurting you." I was about to say, "You were under a spell!" but I've heard that line too much already. Instead, I just placed my hands over his right arm and held it tightly.

"I know you are," I said, "It's alright now." We were silent for a bit as I felt Matt's breath brushing against my skin. Every time he did I got more chills down my spine. Once his lips touched my neck and I felt this electrical shock of pleasure surging through my body. My heart pounded against my rib cage so harshly that I tightened my grip on Matt's arm.

_What the hell was that? I've never felt that before. I've gotta destract myself. But how?_ I began to think about before our attack by Diamond and Cian and remembered my conversation with Bloom.

"Dinner," I said. Matt lifted his head as I turned mine. "You owe me dinner for kicking your ass last time." Matt thought for a moment and shook his head.

"No, I won that."

"No you didn't. I totally knocked you down to the ground."

"I don't think you did."

"I did!"

"Wanna rematch?"

"You're on!" Matt gave me his confident smile and kissed my forehead.

"STOP KISSING MY FAIRY!" I froze as something hurdled towards Matt. I heard a _thunk_ and Matt pushed himself away from me.

"Shit!" He shouted.

"You leave her alone, you punk!" I looked at the little blonde pixi and shook my head.

"Luna?" Luna turned around and I felt my heart stopping.

"What? He was kissing you!" I shook my head again and patted her head.

_She looks exactly like Blanche. Weird._

"Matt's supposed to kiss me," I explained, "He is my boyfriend after all." Matt rubbed his head and swore again.

"How can such a small creature cause so much pain?"

"Feel the power of a fairy's bonded pixi!" Luna shouted while shaking her little fists at him. She then rubbed her forehead and winced. "Ouch," I heard her mutter.

"Where were you guys?" Layla asked.

"We were at Pixi village for a festival," Chatta answered, "Because we're bonded pixies, we were given a special celebration along with others who've finally bonded with fairies of Alfea!"

"Sounds like you had a good time," Flora commented.

"What happened to your arm, Bloom?" Lockette asked with worry. Bloom placed her hand over her cut and smiled.

"It's nothing, Lockette." Lockette suddenly got angry and threatened Sky.

"It was because you weren't around to help her! If you were then she wouldn't be in this mess!" Sky tried to defend himself against Lockette, but Amore butted in.

"It's true though. You all love our fairies so much. It was strange that you all suddenly left them."

"Exactly, Amore," Stella second, "I really think that if the guys are truly sorry, then they should give us something to prove it."

"But love isn't about giving a present," Amore replied, "It's about the feelings people and creatures share with one another."

"It's not to show their love, but their loyalty."

"What're you talking about, Stella?" Tecna asked, "Are you sure it's not because you want a present from Brandon?"

"Not true! For these past two weeks, I've been thinking that Brandon no longer loved me because I was possessed by Cian. And none of you can deny that you didn't think that about your own guy except for Layla." Tecna tried to think of something, but knew that Stella was (actually) right. "And poor Scarlet was thinking that Matt had dumped her because of the way he acted when she last saw him. They're a new couple, so she thought it was all over after he left her." I felt my body overheating from embarrassment Matt gave me an evil grin.

"You thought that I dumped you?"

"No, I-Stella, don't say stuff like that!"

"See, she's now trying to deny it because Matt's returned to her."

"You really thought that I didn't love you anymore?" Brandon asked Stella, ignoring all of the comments I was currently shouting at her.

"No," Stella answered, "We all thought that you boys wouldn't dare show your faces around us again because of what happened."

"Over time we would've come out," Timmy admitted.

"See my point."

"Okay, we were wrong for leaving you girls," Sky announced on behalf of his team, "What can we do to make it up to you?"

"Well, we haven't had a party in a while, so why don't we have one," Stella suggested, "Then you boys can get us gifts to show us your loyalty to us."

"Stella," I intervined, "That really isn't-"

"Deal." I stopped talking as Rvien stepped forward. Stella flicked her blonde hair to the side as she giggled.

"It's weird seeing you agreeing to something like this, Riven."

"Believe me, I would never want to do something like this because I think that it's stupid. However, we did abandon our mission when we shouldn't have and that was wrong of us. We'll do anything that'll give us a second chance." I couldn't help but look over at Musa, who's eyes were wide with shock. She was so surprised that her mouth fell open.

"Do you speak for your team?" Stella asked with a proud look on her face.

"I do." I couldn't help thinking, _He must really love Musa to do anything to win back her trust in him to protect her._

"Very well. Tonight we have to go to Cloud Tower, so tomorrow night's the deadline of your gifts. We'll set up a party in Magix and all you have to do is show up with your gifts. Of course dress accordingly." Riven nodded and then walked back to Musa.

"I never expected that from Riven," Luna whispered.

"That was the proper and polite thing for him to do," Tune mentioned, "These boys needs to earn back the Winx's trust."

"Yep," Digit second, "You just can't rely on unreliable boys." My eyes slowly wandered to Matt, who was staring off into space again. _I wonder if he's surprised about Riven's actions. I know I am._

"Well then," Nabu said, breaking the tension that I felt building in the air, "How about I take these specialists back to Red Fountain and we'll see you tomorrow?"

"Please, do," Layla answered. Matt sighed next to me and stood up.

"Let's see," he began, "If we have our rematch, and I win, I won't have to get you anything." He looked down at me and folded his arms across his chest. "How about that for a deal?" My lips tightened with frustration as he laughed about the thought while meeting up with the other specialists.

"MATT YOU JERK!" I managed to scream once they were gone.

"He's mysterious, that one," Layla pointed out, "He's nice one minute, flirty the next, then a jerk. There's no way of understanding who this guy is." She shook off the idea and placed a hand on my shoulder, "Anyway, how're you feeling?"

"A little better."

"Are you sure?" Luna asked, "I transformed as well and passed out because of your transformation." I gently placed my hands behind the floating pixi and looked at her for a minute.

_She really looks like Blanche_. I remembered the look on her face as she explained to me that she was dead. _So much is happening that I feel I can't keep up._

"Scarlet?" I snapped out of my mind and smiled at Flora. "Is there something on your mind?" My eyes were drawn back to Luna as I spoke.

"While I was unconscious, I figured out what those dreams were that I was having."

"Was it like my experience with Daphne?" Bloom asked. I shook my head.

"Daphne was one of the Nine Nyphs. She held great power to help you out. This girl's different." I lowered my hands and looked at my friends. "Her name's Blanche and she died years ago." They gasped in shock as I nodded. "That was my reaction as well. The reason why I see her at the Lake of Wonders is because it's a pure spot where spirits can contact their families in this world."

"Do you think she's a family member?" Tecna asked as she pulled out her ladybug gadget. It flew out and scanned me as I continued.

"No, she's not. She said that she's in touch with me because of our destinies. I don't know how or why, but that's the case."

"How're you able to get there?" Musa asked, taking a step towards me.

"Blanche mentioned to me that my vampire powers were the reason I was able to see her and talk to her. Don't know what that really means except that whenever I sleep or fall unconscious, I'll wind up there."

"Is it only in your mind, or can you go to the Lake and see the spirits?"

"I'm not sure Musa. All I know is that when my conscious isn't here, it's there." Musa nodded and looked at the ground.

"Right. That makes sense." Her voice trembled as she spoke. I was surprised since I've never seen Musa act this way.

"Musa, are you okay?" I asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"You didn't. I was just hoping that…well, it doesn't matter now." I rose up from my seat in protest.

"It does matter. Please, tell me." Musa looked away from me, but tears began to roll down her face.

"I lost my mom when I was very young, so I don't remember her much. But the fact that there's a place I might be able to see her and talk to her gave me…I dunno…a sense of hope in knowing the mother I never knew."

"Oh, Musa. I'm so sorry. I didn't know." I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly. I felt her returning my hug and saying, "It's not something I talk about much."

"But how could your vampire powers introduce you to a person who's been dead for years?" Layla wondered aloud

"I'm not sure," I answered, "But I think I know who would be helpful."

"Ms. Griffin," Bloom answered, "She must've figured out the strength of your vampire powers. Maybe she'll actually tell you what they are this time."

"I hope so." I let Musa go and apologized again.

"Looks like the sun's about to set anyway," Layla commented, "By the way, when does the next new moon appear?" I looked up at the twilight sky as I thought about it. Because of our frequent visits to Cloud Tower, I barely notice when I transform because of the moon.

"According to my calculations, it was about a week ago. Last Wednesday to be precise."

"Wow, I had totally forgotten about it," I admitted, "We went to Cloud Tower before then because by the time the sun was setting, I had transformed."

"Maybe you're getting used to your vampire-self," Flora suggested. "And by knowing more about your powers, you might be able to figure out a reason for why Blanche has a destiny to finish with you."

"Well then, what're we waiting for?" Musa said, acting a little more like herself. "Let's see what type of powers our Scarlet posses." We stopped by our room first to drink Flora's potion, which Bloom was hesitant to take at first.

"Who knows if someone had spiked it with a spell while we were gone," she commented.

"Bloom, I can promise you that only I've touched this potion," Flora assured. Bloom hesitated again before drinking it. We traveled to Cloud Tower via wind current, but as we were flying, I couldn't help feel that Musa was still disappointed in that she couldn't see her mother.

"Don't worry. She's fine."

"How're you so sure, Layla? If I was in Musa's shoes, I'd be pretty upset in not having the ability to interact with the spirit that is (or was) my mother."

"Musa's had many opprotunites in the past to see her mother again. In the Red Tower last year, she was one of the ones chosen ones to travel through a maze that led her to her mother. She had the choice of being with her mother forever, but that would cause her to give up this life entirely."

"That was noble of her." Layla did a flip in the air before placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Seriously, don't worry about it. We're all here for each other." I smiled at her as we landed in front of Cloud Tower's doors. As usual, Ms. Griffin led us to our stations with the Winx in one room and me in another. I transformed into my vampire winx outfit and began to work on drills with the real Ms. Griffin (the double was with the others).

"I see that you're getting more comfortable with your dark magic," she commented as I finished my final exercise.

"Thank you, Professor," I replied, hesitant as I asked, "Also, can you tell me exactly what type of dark magic I have? I've been curious for a while now and was wondering if you knew…anything." Ms. Griffin was surprised by my question it seemed. She closed her eyes for a minute and said, "Let's try a few more exercises. That way, I can exactly pin-point what type of magic your vampire powers are."

[Meanwhile…at Red Fountain…]

Brandon: (Sounding impressed) I can't believe that you accepted Stella's circumstance. Even I was hesitant to say yes.

Riven: Well, we failed as senior specialists. We deserve a form of punishment. Taking up your girlfriend's request seemed to fit the bill.

Brandon: (Trying to not take what Riven said as an insult) Well…thanks anyway. (Notices Matt looking out on the balcony) Hey dude, you okay?

Matt: Yeah…(Turns to face his team)…Actually, have you guys noticed that these people are after Scarlet constantly?

Sky: Don't worry. For the past three years, weird people were after Bloom. But she prevailed.

Matt: It's not that. There's something different about Scarlet. How come when the other girls are overpowered with magic, they don't pass out like Scarlet, or their hair doesn't grow longer? They don't show side-affects like Scarlet for some reason does.

(The team looks at one another as Riven chuckles.)

Riven: Well, there's a reason for that. Scarlet's got a secret.

Helia: Riven, this isn't your story to tell.

Riven: (Shrugs his shoulders and ignores Helia.) Scarlet's been scared to tell you something that I've been trying to tell you.

Nabu: Riven, seriously think about this. She might not want Matt to know whatever her secret is.

Riven: (Ignoring Nabu) She's a monster. The reason she practices black magic is because she's a—

(Brandon and Sky knock Riven in the stomach and he passes out on the floor. Matt looks suspisciously at his team.)

Matt: I know Riven says stupid things sometimes, but was it necessary to knock him out like that?

Sky: We just don't want him telling you something that might not be true or something Scarlet should tell you herself.

Matt: So she's hiding something, then?

Brandon: We didn't say that, Matt.

Matt: (He glares at his teammates) I hate it when people keep secrets. I hope you're wrong.

Timmy: (Places his hand on Matt's shoulder) Well, if Scarlet's keeping a secret from you, don't be mad at her.

Matt: (Looks at Timmy displeasingly) Why?

Timmy: Because if she's hiding something, then it's for a good reason.

Matt: (Looks at Riven passed out on the floor) I just don't want to be with someone who lies about everything to me.

Helia: I'm sure that's not the case.

Matt: I hope you're right.

[Back to Scarlet…]

I had to admit that I was impressed with the scarlet blade that I was holding. It was identical to my sliver sword, but the handle was the midnight blue that matched my vampire outfit. My scarlet gem was still in placed and I just stared in awe. Ms. Girffin created a creature that I was able to deafeat with three consecutive slices. First, I sliced from upper right diagonally to the lower left with both hands on the handle. I took my left hand off and drew the swrod from left to right while bending my knees for the final blow. I jumped high in the air, brought my left hand back to the handle, and drew the swrod straight down. A clean cut, though the blood smelled the worst!

"Well done, Scarlet," Ms. Griffin commented while making the corpse disappeared. I covered my nose as she cleaned up the brownish-redish blood on the floor. My hand came away from my nose and I withdrew my sword.

"Thanks. So, now is it possible for you tell me what type of power I have?" Ms. Griffin's face didn't show any sign of fear or worry, which caused a sense of relief to flow through my body, calming my nerves. She waved her hand in the air as a book from her desk opened and hovered before me. On the left page was a picture of the four elements: earth over fire, water on the left and air on the right. On top of earth and underneath fire were sun symbols while on either side of water and air were crecent moons. The right page was full of words describing the meaning of the picture, which at the moment I wasn't interested in reading.

"The type of power your vampire side has is one of the night," Ms. Griffin answered.

"The night?" I repeated, "What does that entail?"

"You're a smart girl, Scarlet. Use your head." I pouted as I thought for a minute.

_Night, night, what does that mean. Not day. It's the opposite of day. In the day time, it's light. Stella has sunlight powers, which resemble sight and guidance. Night's dark, but not dark as in negative, but just dark. Secrets and transformations occur at night. Stars also only appear at night because of the sun in the day. Wait a minute…_

"Night: Moon, stars, transformations. True forms and natural instincts. Lack of guidance; distractions." I paused as I gathered my thoughts. "But is that really true? The sun's blinding light could also hide truths. Truths seen in the day are hidden at night. Conversely, truths seen at night are hidden in the day. It's a perfect balance."

"Precisely. And it fits you as a person as well. True form, meaning your vampire form. It only comes out naturally at night."

"Okay," I said nodding my head, "Night. That doesn't sound as…threatening as I thought it would." Ms. Griffin approached me and pointed something on the right page.

"The power of the four elements are considered light magic," she replied, "And the power of night and day is considered one of the highest forms of dark magic."

"Wait, day? Isn't that seen as a very…positive thing?"

"Magic is very deceiving, Scarlet. We at Cloud Tower practices the dark arts, but we do not intend to take over the world. Magic is based on the person using it. Like the four elements; they're divided under day and night: Fire and Earth work well under day and Water and Wind work best under night. There's no reason why that is."

"I guess that makes sense." I pointed at the picture. "So I have the power of wind and night?"

"That's correct."

"And the four elements are light magic and night and day are dark magic?" Ms. Griffin nodded. "Therefore…" I felt my eyes growing wide as I stumbled into the nearest chair. Cian's words repeated in my head.

"…_you are a full blooded vampire. Within you, pure vampire instincts stir and there's nothing that you can do to change that."_

My eyes began to sting as I tried to blink the tears away. I swallowed the small lump forming in my throat and took deep breaths. Ms. Griffin must've sensed my frustration for she waved the book to return to the desk.

"I know you're upset by the truth, Scarlet, but it's something you must face. You are a full vampire and carry light and dark magic. At this point in time, I believe that you really are the Balance that Cian's looking for."

I felt my heart being crushed within an iron fist as Ms. Griffin spoke. I gripped onto the sides of my chair and tried to hold back my tears.

"I think we'll stop early today. You have a lot to process. That battle with Cian and the knowing the truth is a tought one." I nodded and stood up as I transformed out of my winx outfit.

"You've been showing much improvement. There's nothing to be ashamed of." I looked up at Ms. Griffin and nodded again.

"Thanks," I said bleakly. My body felt heavy as my feet slowly dragged me towards my friends. As I got closer, I heard the second Ms. Griffin explaining how to perfect a spell. I heard the familiar sound of Stella's groaning voice as they left their classroom. They found me and I attempted a smile, but failed miserably.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Flora asked, taking my hands into hers, "Are you over worked? Are you hurt?"

"No, Flora, everythings…" I took a deep breath and continued to nod. "…alright."

"That doesn't sound very convincing," Layla replied.

"Did you ask Ms. Griffin about your powers?" Tecna asked. My grip tightened around Flora's hand as I felt hot tears streaming down my cheeks. Flora wrapped an arm around me as I sobbed out in segments what Ms. Griffin had told me. I noticed that Tecna was taking careful notes on her hand laptop while the others listened intently. Once I finished, I wipped the tears away with the back of my hand.

"Sounds like we were right," Bloom commented, "Cian and the witches are after you because, according to the poem, you're the Balance they're looking for."

"But that must be so cool!" Musa replied, "You have two powers that balance well together: Wind and Night. Just think about what you could do if you could use both at the same time!"

"Don't forget your connection with the afterlife," Tecna reminded us, "The night generally symbolizes death while day means life. Maybe that logic is what's connecting you with Blanche."

"Girls, let's give Scarlet a break," Flora suggested, "A lot's happened today and I think she needs time to take it all in."

"I agree," Stella second, "We have other things to focus on, like the party we're having with our guys tonight." She smiled slyly as she laced her fingers together. "Oh, I wonder what gift my Brandon's gonna give me."

"Geez, Stella, are guys the only thing you think about?"

"In a time of crisis, one must focus on the joy that they have, Layla." Layla rolled her eyes as Stella spun around in circles. "The boys caused us unnecessary suffering and they must make up for it. Again, if the boys hadn't left us in the first place, Bloom wouldn't have lost her blood to Cian."

"Maybe we should stop by the Lake," Bloom suggested, "What if Cian's gonna manipulate us again."

"That sounds like a plan."

"I'll e-mail Timmy to ask if any of the boys got hurt. They did, after all, fight the witches. One of them could've been sliced by their blood-sucking blade." Flora faced me and kept me close.

"For now, don't worry about a thing. We have a party tonight and you've gotta look your best for Matt." The thought of Matt made me smile. However, it quickly disappeared when I remembered the last thing he told me:

"_If we have our rematch, and I win, I won't have to get you anything. How about that for a deal?"_

"Agh! That jerk!" I shouted.

"Now that's the Scarlet we know and love," Musa replied, "I was wondering what had happened to her." I looked at each of my friends as my smile grew more genuine.

"Thanks girls. I feel less stress and nervous about my powers with you around." Bloom smiled back and led the girls into a group hug.

"Now let's head on over to the Lake. We've got time before the sun rises."

"Okay, Bloom. But let's take the wind current," I suggested, "We'll get there faster." I followed my friends outside before drawing a circle and creating a path towards the lake. One by one we stepped in. Layla and Musa did flips as Bloom failed to follow. We laughed as we traveled, listening to Stella babble about what Brandon will give her. Thankfully, the Lake wasn't far, so Stella's babbling had to end.

However, as we got closer, my stomach began to fill with butterflies. _What if I see Blanche there with the other girls? What if something else were to happen_? I remembered when I was last with Blanche and her telling me that it was because of my vampire powers that I was able to be in contact with her.

_I really hope that I don't see her now. I just need to take in all this information very slowly._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: From Half to Pure

(Cian walks around his main room flipping out about Scarlet)

Cian: She was fantasitic! (Walks around and repeats his sentence over and over again. Eventually, he approaches Stormy.) Did you see her wings? Those beautiful vampire wings that lifted her in the air.

Stormy: (Rolls her eyes) Yes, her wings were beautiful.

Cian: (Grinning) That was her true form. Scarlet must be the Balance. I must have her. (Pauses as if thinking in memory) Did you smell her blood?

Darcy: Cian, we're not vampires. We can't smell nor sense blood.

Cian: How unfortunate.

Fury: What was it like?

Cian: (Lost in memory) Pure. Her blood smells like a pure vampire. There was fear and containment, but her blood…(inhales as if remembering)…a sweet smell.

Icy: You seem to look at Scarlet more than a Balance.

Cian: As a vampire, I need blood. It's impossible for me to drink my own blood. But Scarlet's different. She's special. She can drink her own blood to give her strength. One of the advantages of being the Balance.

Fury: What do you intend to do with her once you've taken the Balance from her?

Cian: (Licks his lips with his tongue) I intend to make her my meal.

Darcy: Looks like she won't last long then.

Cian: On the contrary, drinking pure vampire blood's more filling than other creature's blood. She'll be my personal meal and hunter. (Grins evily) Scarlet will be my pet.

Stormy: That's great for her, but what about us? How come we don't get anyone?

Cian: Funny you mention that, Stormy. I've had a special spy lurking about helping me seek the Balance before I took Fury and you girls on. He's been out of touch for a while, but I finally located him and called him home. He can be of great use to you girls.

Fury: (Grinning evily) Sounds like our kind of toy. (Looks over at Icy, who nods)

Icy: We could use another helping hand.

Cian: Glad you approve. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to our (chuckles) special guest about what we've discovered. (He leaves the witches alone, but sees the vile of the blood found in Chatper 3. He stops and looks at it.) Such a familiar scent this sample. Like it's the blood of the girl who I killed because I thought she was the Balance. Strange to smell this scent again. (Shrugs the thought off and headed towards his prisoners. When he opened the door, Silent-Takers surrounded Damian, Lolita, and the Royal family. With a wave of his hand, the Silent-Takers disappeared and he entered.) I've news for you from the Balance.

Lolita: (Rolls her eyes in disbelief) Right, and her highness, the queen, is ready to fight in the front line of battle, no offence, queen. (Queen smiles and shakes her head.)

Cian: Your sarcasm truly matches the sarcasm of your daughter. You would've been proud.

Damian: Why "would've been"?

Cian: I went to the realm of Magix and traveled to Alfea College. Thanks to your spell, Damian, I was able to vists your daughter myself while the sun was still out.

Damian: (Growls while baring his fangs) She's dead, Cian. You killed her.

Cian: First you convince yourself that she's only half vampire and now you convince she's dead. (Laughs) You're a funny father, Damian.

Lolita: (Summons a sword and swiftly brings it to Cian's neck) Don't you dare talk about my daughter. I warned you last time.

Cian: Don't you want to hear our conversation.

Kayla: Yes, please. (She takes a few steps towards Cian, her dress tattered and hands folded in front of her.) Since you need us, inspiration to tell you certain things is a must. What did she say?

Cian: (Sighs) Someday, you would've made a great queen. (Lolita presses the blade closer, but Cian uses his magic to control her body. She lowers her weapon and falls to her knees. He takes a few steps towards Kayla) She asked for the bodies of her parents. I told her they're here and alive. She asked if I kept anyone else alive, and I said you, princess, and your parents.

Kayla: She knows we're alive?

Cian: She knows that you're here to provide me with information about her. Scarlet's a fighter, (Looks at Lolita) like you. When I didn't give her the answers to her questions, she launched an attack. Her wind magic is powerful. With every attack she grew stronger. (Looks back to Kayla) Of course I began to tell her what her parents refused to mention: I said that she's a full vampire with pure bloods runs through her veins. (Smiles in remembering) Her fairy form disappeared and she transformed.

Damian and Lolita: What?!

Kayla: What do you mean by, "transform?"

Cian: (Tucks a loose strand of brown hair behind Kayla's ear) She transformed into a true vampire, my princess. All her life she surpressed her true powers, so I decided to inspire them forth. (Looks at Damian while showing his fangs) Those bat wings of hers were beautiful.

Damian: (Throws himself at Cian, but Cian uses his magic to throw Damian back.) Don't you dare…talk about…my daughter…like she's your…play thing. (coughs)

Cian: I'm almost certain that Scarlet's the Balance I'm looking for. Her blood smelled sweet of fear about her true nature.

Kayla: Is she alright?

Cian: She was alright when left with the Trix by my side. I'm guessing the Winx Club found her and are taking care of her as we speak.

Queen: The new Company of Light taking care of a vampire?! Truly?

Cian: I swear on my blood.

King: This is nonsense! (Walks towards Kayla and rests a hand on her shoulder) Kayla, he's obviously lying. Scarlet's no different from you nor I.

Cian: Believe what you want. (Begins to leave) Scarlet's the Balance and you are the keys for her becoming mine. (Leaves)

Lolita: (Holding back her tears) It can't be true…it can't be true.

Kayla: (Tears stream down her face as she smiles) Scarlet's alive and well!

Damian: (Walks towards Lolita and wraps his arm around her) With all the spells she knows and the combat skills she learned, maybe it is possible that she's alive.

Lolita: I don't want her to be the Balance. I don't want her to end up here like us.

Damian: She's with the new Company of Light. (Lifts her head with the side of his index finger) I'm sure they're taking very good care of her.

[However…]

"STELLA!" I'm guessing she heard my screams under the mountain of clothes that she poured on me because eventually she reached in, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me out. I stumbled a bit before landing on the floor. I groaned as my long hair fell in front of my eyes. Underneath her clothes, it became a knotted mess and no one was allowing me to cut it short.

"Look, I need to lend you a perfect outfit for this party. Matt hasn't seen you in weeks and you don't have anything sexy to wear." I felt my cheeks growing hot as I got on my feet.

"I don't need anything sexy. All I need is something…nice." Stella shook her head and flicked her long blonde hair at me.

"Where would you be without me, Scarlet? I'll find you an outfit to wear." She placed her hands on my shoulder, turned me around, and began to shove me out the door. "All you have to do is leave everything to me." Before I could protest, Stella pushed me out the door.

"Looks like Stella's giving you no say in what to wear tonight, huh?" I placed a hand on my forehead and sighed.

"Does she do this to everyone, Bloom?"

"Unfortunately, yes." I shook off the thought of Stella choosing something inappropriate and smiled.

"How're you feeling?" Bloom shrugged her shoulders and looked at her three lined dark red scratch.

"I still feel a little shaky about all that happened, but better."

"I'm sorry that I had to reopen your cut. But we have to be careful. Cian might use his blood control spell again and take over your body and mind." Bloom laughed.

"That's why I willingly allowed you to cut me."

"Why don't you heal it with your magic?"

"I will later. For now I just wanna…focus on the party." Her smile disappeared as she headed towards her bed. She plopped down on it with her arms folded across her knees.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked, slowly making my way towards her bed.

"I feel so stupid. I drank something that I believed was from Sky. What if it was poison? I could've been killed." I sat down next to her and shook my head.

"Either way you would've been killed. You were very lucky." Bloom's face filled more with grief as I quickly added, "But we all thought that it was safe. It even fooled Tecna and Flora."

"I shouldn't have been so careless."

"We can't see the future, Bloom. No one could have seen any of his or the trix's attacks." Bloom nodded and paused before speaking again.

"And this whole perfecting our enchantix is driving me slightly crazy. I just completed it when I brought Domino back to life and now I have to re-summon my charmix."

"How'd you gain it last time?"

"By believing in myself and the Winx." She sighed and leaned back a bit. "I wonder how I'll get it this time."

"That's something that you shouldn't think about just yet." Bloom and I looked at Stella as she stood in her doorway. Drapped over her left arm were different pieces of clothing that I guessed was my outfit. "For now, I've got the perfect outfit for Scarlet." She walked towards me and shoved the clothes onto my lap. "Change in my room and we'll have an inspection." I pouted at Stella and smiled at Bloom as I headed towards her room.

[But…]

Bloom: You're not giving her your present?

Stella: The timing's not right. She's still surprised about the whole vampire thing.

Bloom: Maybe if you gave it to her now she'll accept it more.

Stella: (Shakes her head) It has to be the perfect moment.

[So what's the out fit then?…]

Once I tied the laces of the platform sneakers Stella lent me, I looked at myself in the mirror. I had to admit that I was shocked at my appearance. Though my hair remained completely messy, the outfit Stella chose surprised me. The shirt was three-quarter sleeved white shirt with a design of a black ribbon and underneath it was a solid pink tang-top. On the sleeves black ribbons were sewn on top from elbow to shoulder. For the pants I had capris that were a bright denim color and folded neatly at the bottom. As for the sneakers they were black with white laces and sewing lines.

_For all her babble about making me look sexy, this was what I had in mind for an outfit_. There was a knock on her door and the Winx entered. I noticed that they were all dressed for the party because they wore outfits that I've never seen before. Stella was the first to walk in and scanned me with her honey brown eyes. It didn't take her long to place a proud smile on her face as she raised her nose in the air.

"I must say that sometimes I wonder why I'm so brilliant when it comes to fashion." I rolled my eyes while looking at my friends through the mirror. Flora placed her hands together and gave me a big smile.

"You look great, Scarlet. You're sure gonna make Matt stare at you all night." I smiled at her as I saw her blue and green outfit. Her shirt was long sleeved, but on her left shoulder there were three straps, making it look like her left arm wor a separate sleeve. Her shirt had a floral design and her jeans had pink swirls around her knees.

"Thanks Flora." She approached me and tried to run her fingers through my long hair. I winced in pain as she pulled.

"What will you do with you hair?" When I opened my mouth intending to say, "I wanna cut my hair," Stella answered,

"I was thinking a pony tail. No wait! Pigtails. No."

"How about you let Scarlet pick her hairstyle?" Layla suggested, "You already picked out her shoes and clothes." I looked at her through the mirror and noticed that she was wearing another dancer-like outfit. She had on a yellow tang top and pink elbow pads on her arms. Her dark blue pants were short on one leg and long on the other. For the leg wearing shorts, she wore a pink leg warmer. Her hair remained the same, though. I guessed that she liked dancing with her hair following her every move.

"I think pigtail's a good idea," Flora replied, "But not high up like Musa's. Instead we'll make it low. That way, you're hair's still long, but not flying in your face when you're dancing." I gave Flora an approving smile, allowing her to get my hair up. Stella pouted a bit before looking at herself in the mirror. She wore a lacy cream colored tang top with green capris and sandels. In her hair was a matching headband and on her left arm a yellow arm band.

"That looks nice," I said. Stella spun around and smiled.

"I haven't worn this since the celebration part of the Trix's defeat freshman year."

"Well tonight's nothing fancy like a princess ball," Bloom mentioned, "It's just a simple party to celebrate us reuniting with the specialists." She spun around and posed for us. I liked her outfit because it was basic, yet sweet; a green tank with a white T-shirt underneath, flowy blue mini-skirt, leg warmers, and matching shoes.

"The specialists are the ones reuniting with us, Bloom," Tecna corrected. I couldn't help noticing she was wearing another futuristic outfit of purple and white tank and pants. "Since they left us, they have to do the reuniting."

"Where's the party gonna be?" I asked as Flora finished my hair.

"I reserved a dance place in Magix," Stella answered, "Musa can provide the music and Layla the moves."

"I'm for that!" Musa second. I watched her spin around and sighing in her multi-blue pink outfit. "Besides, Riven hasn't seen me in this since he first fell for me."

"Which party was that?" I asked. Musa adjusted her navy blue sleeves with light blue lining before answering, "We were punished for sneaking into Cloud Tower to get Stella's ring back from the Trix. Faragonda took away our magic, so we had to clean the whole school without it. However, since the school went to a concert and left us alone, we invited the specialists to help us. Once we finished cleaning, we had a party and…" She blushed a bit and rubbed the back of her head. "…I danced seductively in front of him. Then when a monster attacked, it sent me flying and Riven caught me." She sighed while thinking about that night. "Riven told me it was the first time he felt attracted to me."

"Well then let's keep that attraction going!" Stella suggested, "If we don't leave now, we'll keep the boys waiting."

"Hang on." We all turned to face Layla as she pointed to Stella's clock. "It's almost six o'clock. How're we to go into Magix, have our party, and be back here by eight o'clock before the shield is up?"

"I thought by now the shield would be up all day and night since yesterday's attack," Bloom replied, "But Faragonda hasn't said anything to us about any changes."

"Don't forget that Faragonda also allowed us special permission to go out because we always find a way to get outside," Stella pointed out, "Tecna has that gadget barrier weakener…thingy." Tecna rolled her eyes and didn't even bother saying its proper name.

"I dunno, Stella," Flora commented with some worry in her voice, "Who knows what might happen while we're in Magix. Cian could have something waiting for us or he can attack the school again."

"Oh Flora, come on! Stop being a worrier and imagine dancing with Helia."

"I still think we should be careful."

"Well let's hurry up and get going! I want Brandon to give me my present now." She pulled me by the wrist and dragged me out the door.

"I can walk on my own, Stella!" I shouted as I tried to keep up with her.

"We gotta hurry if we wanna get passed Griselda. If we leave now, we'll be able to say that we'll be back before eight because we left early. Little does she know about our plan."

"What about us?" I tuned my head and saw our pixies huddled together with Amore in the front. "We wanna go with you to the party." All the pixies seemed eager to go, especially Luna, who looked as if she was going to throw a fit if she didn't go.

"You guys should stay here," Layla replied, "If you went with us too, then more of us would get in trouble. Besides, I have a feeling that we're gonna have tons of cleaning to do in our near future." I didn't quite understand what Layla meant, but the Pixies seemed to understand. Luna flew towards me and gave me a stern look.

"If Matt does anything to you, I'll know about it. And if he tries any funny business with you, then he's dead dead dead!"

"Luna, I'll be fine. Besides, I'm not wearing anything that's sexy or appealing to Matt." Luna gave me a doubtful look. "I promise that I won't let him do anything to me unless I wanted him to." Luna glared at me some more before Stella grew impatient. She tugged me in front of her, placed her hands on my shoulders, and continued to push me towards the school gates.

"And just where do you think you seven are going?" I felt Stella freezing in her tracks as I (yet again) stumbled a bit forward. When I turned around, I saw Griselda adjusting her glasses and giving us a defiant stare.

"We were just heading into town," Stella casually said with her perfect smile.

"Really, Miss Stella? And when did you intend to return?"

"At eight, of course. Why else would we be leaving now for a party." I looked at the rest of the Winx and noticed them nodding and smiling in agreement. _I guess when it comes to breaking the rules for a party, Stella's in control_.

"Where is this party?" Griselda asked, leaning in towards Stella.

"Oh, you know…in town." The vice headmistress stared at Stella with intensity before pulling back.

"Enjoy all this freedom while you can because soon Faragonda's going to put the shield up twenty-four seven!"

"That's good to hear," I heard myself say aloud, "We were wondering if Ms. Faragonda was going to put the shield up perminently in case Cian attacks again." The thought made me shiver in place as I crossed my arms and placed my hand on each shoulder.

"Once the shield's up, you'll need to let me or Faragonda know where you're going and when you'll be back."

"Don't worry, Ms. Griselda," Stella assured, wrapping her arm around my neck, "We're the Winx Club. We'll be fine. Plus, the specialists will be there for our protection. You've got nothing to worry about." Griselda gave us one last hard stare before allowing us to go. We headed towards the school gate and I raised my hand in the air, creating my wind current and bringing the girls and me up into the air.

[But…]

Luna: (trembling with anger) I don't like that Matt one bit! (faces Tune) How can you stand Musa dating Riven?

Tune: Because even though he's very impolite most of the time, in the end he'll do anything for Musa, and to me that's how a proper gentleman should behave.

Amore: Plus he loves her very much. A fairy's happiness is a pixi's happiness and visa versa.

Chatta: (Looking just as mad as Luna) Well I wish we could go to the party. How come they get to have all the fun while we sit at Alfea and do nothing? (crosses her arms and pouts)

Digit: It's true that we'll be safer here because of the shield being up. But when Griselda and Faragonda realize that the Winx aren't back yet, then we'll be obligated to let them access our data.

Lockette: That means that they'll know where they are. There's nothing wrong with that.

Chatta: Don't you see, Lockette? If we tell them where the Winx are, then our fairies will be mad at us.

Lockette: (shudders) I wouldn't want Bloom to be mad at me.

Luna: Then I say we follow them. After all, if we stayed here, they'll get in trouble much faster.

Pfft: (Raises her arms up and down with joy) Da ba ba do pa!

Tune: Well let's hurry up. It would be rude to be late for a party.

Digit: We better catch up in the current. If we miss it, it'll take us longer to get there.

[Back to the Winx…]

"I can't believe that Griselda allowed us to go," Tecna comment once we were well on our way, "The percentage of her granting us permission to go was less than one percent."

"Well at least there was a chance more than zero," Bloom pointed out, "Since we're out, we might as well have fun, right?" We all nodded as Stella pointed downward towards a circular building.

"Drop us of here, Scarlet." I drew another circle with my hand and create the exit route that carried us down to the ground.

"Hey, this was where we went to last year," Layla replied, "Remember when people from Nabu's family came here for him because he ran away to see if I was an annoying, snobby, princess that he was going to marry?" Musa laughed.

"I remember that. Valtor was also trying to get Alfea's secret scrolls." She sighed. "Glad that that was taken care of."

"Looks like we're here before the guys," Flora said, "Why don't we get things all set up inside?" I quickly went up the steps and was right behind Flora. There was a circular hallway that we had to walk through and as we took our time to get to the main room, Stella and Flora began to decorate the walls and columns with flowers and stars and streamers. I placed my hand out in front and felt my magic pour out, creating a thick, silver ribbon. The ribbon, acting like a snake, slithered around a column as Flora added scarlet colored flowers wrapping in the opposite direction.

"That way, we know which fairy decorated what," she replied once she finished. Evetually everyone took part in the decorating, especially when we got into the main room. Musa created a dico ball that shown out its own lights along with creating speakers across the walls. Layla used her morphic power to create a fountain with multipule drinks.

"If we're gonna be dancing, then we'll need to be hydrated." I raised both my hands in the air and felt the wind touching my fingertips to gently spin. By pushing the small current higher and wide enough to cover the entire room, I was able to feel a gentle breeze. As I lowered my arms, I smiled and gave my friends a victory sign.

"Now we can dance all we want and not worry about sweating so much."

"Good," Stella sighed in relief, "I wouldn't want you to stain my clothes with your sweat." I frowned and wrapped my right index finger around a strand of unmoving wind. By simply pulling it, I was able to cause a moment of whirlwind around Stella, which surprised her greatly, along with messing up her hair a bit.

"Easy, Stella," Bloom warned, "We're here to celebrate, not backstab one another." Stella pouted as I apologized. Suddenly, we heard the door opening down at the other end of the hall.

"That must be them," Tecna announced, "I placed a special lock on the door so that only those with the code may enter." She blushed a bit. "I gave Timmy the code before we left."

"Well done," Layla said, "It's easier than going all the way back to let them in. Plus there's a table out there for them to place their presents on." She faced Musa. "Wanna put on some music?" Musa nodded and raised a hand in the air. Dance music pounded through the speakers as the specialists (and Nabu) entered the main room. I was surprised to see them dressed in different clothing than their normal casual outfits. However, it was Matt's outfit that caught my eye. He wore a white button down shirt with blue strips and untucked from his dark jeans. The first few buttons were unbuttoned and I couldn't help feeling my body temperature rising at the thought of his bare chest. I felt someone's elbow hit my arm.

"Looks like we're gonna have fun tonight."

"Layla!" I hissed. She giggled and winked at me. "Lighten up, Scar. If you're attracted to him, don't hold it back. You're dating him, after all."

"Isn't attraction something that just gets in the way?" I asked.

"Only if you're not attracted to your boyfriend, but someone else," Musa added, "then you're in trouble." I felt my cheeks growing hotter as Musa placed her arm around my shoulders. "But that's not the case here, right?"

"I guess," I answered. I felt my two friends staring at me before Layla asked, "Didn't you feel this way with Jeremy?" The attraction I was feeling froze for a moment as I thought for a bit. _Actually, now that I think about it, I never felt like this with anyone before. This attraction's very new to me_. Before I could answer Layla's question, she and Musa ran to their guys.

_Man, this is pathetic. Shouldn't I be doing something like that with Matt?_ I took a deep breath and headed towards the guys trying to find Matt. Once I saw him, my stomach flipped again as I felt my breath escaping me. I swallowed my nervousness and smiled as I approached him.

"Scarlet." I froze as I looked to my left and saw Helia waving. My eyes went back to find Matt wasn't around anymore. Helia's footsteps approached me as he gave me a warm smile.

"Hey, Helia. Did you find Flora alright?"

"I did. She looks extremely beautiful tonight." I watched him look at Flora as she got a drink from the morphic fountain. "I actually wanted to talk to you for a bit."

"Sure, but will Flora be alright with it?" Helia gave me a doubtful look.

"She knows what I'm going to tell you."

"Right," I said nodding my head, "You two tell each other everything." I couldn't help but giggle as Helia guided me into the hallway. As I turned my head to look behind me, I noticed Flora walking towards Matt.

_I wonder what they're talking about,_ I thought as Helia stopped walking and faced me.

"Last night, Riven almost told Matt your secret." I felt my blood freezing underneath my skin. I took my eyes away from Helia's and looked at the floor. "Luckily, we were able to knock Riven out before he could say anything important." I felt something forming in my throat and I did my best to swallow, but I failed.

"Thanks," I managed to say dryly. Helia sighed.

"Scarlet, I think you've gotta tell him." I felt the freezing blood become electrical as I shouted, "Why?!" I slammed my hands over my mouth as I looked down the hallway towards the party.

"Because he's beginning to understand that there's something different about you from the rest of the fairies."

"How?" Helia smiled at me and pointed to his long pony tail.

"Your hair's constantly changing in length and you told him that it was magic over load, right?" I nodded. "Well, he's noticing that none of the other girls has that ability."

"Oh."

"He also mentioned yesterday that…he doesn't like things to be kept a secret."

"Why would he say that?" I asked, as stupid as it sounded leaving my mouth.

"He said it because Riven was about to tell him that you're a vampire."

"But you stopped him, right?" Helia sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Scarlet, we specialists go by the Red Fountain code, and one of those involves not lying. We're not allowed to lie because every piece of information is vital for a mission." He removed his hand from my shoulder and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We didn't tell him anything, but we also didn't deny that you were hiding something." I felt my body now becoming numb from hearing those words.

_He knows that I'm hiding something. He knows that I'm keeping something from him. Oh shit! That's gonna push him away! But I don't want to tell him and that pushes him even farther away. Crap!_

"We all told him," Helia continued, "that he should ask you about what you're hiding."

"But you guys told me to not say anything yet because you didn't know him well enough," I reminded him, "So what if this information breaks up the team?" Helia opened his mouth to speak, but no words escaped his lips. Instead, he took a deep breath and placed his hands into his pockets.

"How about this then: You know how you can't handle discovering all these things about you all at once?"

"Yeah?"

"Well tell him bit by bit what you're hiding from him."

"Helia, what if I'm not ready to tell him?" Helia paused for a moment and thought about my question.

"You could say that you're not comfortable with telling him, but he wouldn't like that considering that the whole team knows about it." I bit my lower lip, not willing to admit that he was right.

"Scarlet, listen." I looked up into Helia's dark eyes as he smiled, "Whatever you tell Matt will be fine. I know you. You wouldn't make up a crazy lie about your vampire self. But imagine telling him and no longer hiding it from him. You won't have to hold back your vampire instincts any longer." I let my head hang for a bit as I thought about it.

_Transforming in front of Matt? That's crazy! But then again, I wouldn't have to suffer from holding my instincts back. _I shuddered at the thought, _I wouldn't wanna transform because I don't wanna become a monster again._

"Again," Helia said, breaking me from my thoughts, "It's you decision. But if you tell him yourself, you have a larger chance of not losing him."

"I know that you're right," I finally admitted, "I'm just…nervous. He and Riven are childhood friends, so if Riven hates my vampireself, maybe Matt will too."

"But you won't know until you tell him." Helia patted my head as if I were a little girl and headed back to the party.

[Couple hopping time!…]

Stella: Come on, Brandon, what's my present?

Brandon: Now, sunshine, I'm not gonna tell you. It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you.

Stella: (Wrapping her arms around his neck) Then can I at least open it now?

Brandon: (Placing his arms around her waist) We specialists agreed that we wouldn't give you your present until after the party.

Stella: (pulls away and whines) Why?

Brandon: Because then you'll be so focused on your gift that you'll forget about your man.

Stella: (crosses her arms and looks away from Brandon) Well I hope that it's worth it.

Brondon: (stand behind Stella and warps his arms around her) I hope so too. It took me forever to find a gift that would match my perfect princess. (He kisses her shoulder)

Stella: (grabs his arms and holds onto it tightly) I don't like it when my prince isn't there for me. (Brandon doesn't say anything, so Stella turns around to face him. She holds his face within her hands) These past two weeks were hell without you. I began to believe that I wouldn't see you again. Can you imagine what that feels like? I thought that the boy who lied about his true identity to me, the boy I jumped off a cliff for, the boy I rescued from the bitch form Downland, the boy who constantly saves me, the boy who loves me for who I am whether I'm beautiful or transformed into a monster, was gonna leave me all alone.

Brandon: (Places one hand onto Stella's hand and closes his eyes) I would never leave you. Never had. And never will.

Stella: We've been together for so long. How can I be sure that you won't leave me?

Brandon: (Pulls her in and kisses her. Once he pulls away, he places his forehead onto hers) I can think of many ways to assure you that I'm not leaving.

[Next…]

Timmy: I'm still sorry for running off like that. It was illogical and I feel horrible that I did.

Tecna: I fogive you, present or not. (She smiles) I'm just glad to have that you're back with us.

Timmy: (Wrapps his arm around her and adjusts his glasses) So, how're you?

Tecna: (she pauses as she looks into his hazel eyes, feeling mesmerized.) Alright.

Timmy: I know that you were worried about lacking information. (With his other hand, he gently grabs one of hers) Do you feel better about that? Not knowing everything that's out there.

Tecna: I still feel very insecure about that. But Digit and I have been working on a new invention that involves searching the whole world wide web of every planet to download information I've never had before. That way, when I need to look something new up, I'll be more confident in knowing that I have it.

Timmy: I'm glad that you're feeling better then. I just want you to know that it's okay to not know everything.

Tecna: (Looks into Timmy's eyes) I need to. I can help out Scarlet more if I had more information. I could've protected Bloom from Cian's potion if I knew more about its origins and looked beyond its appearance. (she sighs)

Timmy: (Strokes her hair and smiles to himself knowing that Tecna's no longer in physical pain) Either way, I think you're amazing and I love you for it. (He kisses her cheek as she blushes)

Tecna: (Rests her head on his shoulder) I'm glad that you came back. I needed a fellow tecno-guy to understand what I was talking about. (Sighs) I wasn't able to express much emotion before meeting the Winx and you. Thanks to you, I'm able to express how much I love you. I didn't want my inspiration to leave me.

Timmy: (Lifts her head and kisses her) I'm not gonna leave you thinking so illogically again.

[Next…]

Layla: Seriously, Nabu, these attacks are crazy! It's not like we're on constant alert like with Valtor and Darkar, but rather that we're waiting weeks before he lauches a huge attack! It's weakening us because it always happens when we least expect it.

Nabu: I know what you mean. I got sliced during our battle against those witches. Don't worry, I went to the Lake and washed the cut thoroughly. But I think that either way, whether there's a surprise attack or you're ready for one, you can handle it.

Layla: (rolls her eyes and sighs) I guess. (Pause) Did you know about Scarlet's vampire power type?

Nabu: (leans back against the wall and shrugs his shoulder) I never really focused on it, but I did notice that it wasn't something for us to worry about.

Layla: She says that she has the power of Night.

Nabu: Night?

Layla: (nods) According to what Ms. Griffin told her, the power of Day and the power of Night are considered dark magic. I'm not sure why though.

Nabu: That's the beauty of magic. You don't know why something considered light magic or dark magic.

Layla: Either way, I think Scarlet's making progress. (She leans on Nabu, lost in memory) I remember when we all first met. She was so nervous and isolated and we tried to make her feel welcome, but she constantly refused it. (Places her hand over her heart) This bond I feel with the Winx is like we're blood relatives, maybe even stronger. We can't stand one of us being hurt or two of us fighting. As soon as Scarlet entered out room that night, all of us felt like she was a lost Winx. Somehow, we never felt like we were missing something until we saw her. I guess we were so desperate to have her accept us so that we wouldn't feel that emptiness anymore.

Nabu: (Places an arm around her and sighs) But in the end she did, right?

Layla: She trusts us so much. She can talk to us about what's on her mind and we can help her process it. (Gives Nabu a smile) I think that once she accepts everything that's been laid before her, she'll finally feel the connection we all feel.

Nabu: (Takes Layla's hand, kisses it, then pulls her to kiss her lips.) I'm sure that deep down she does feel it. Now…wanna dance?

[Next…]

(Sky and Bloom are by the morphic fountain. Sky takes two crystal goblits that Stella created and filled them up with a bubbly, blue liquid. He passes one to Bloom, who hesitates taking it. Eventually she does.)

Sky: Are you okay, Bloom? You seem very…cautious.

Bloom: (Looks at the drink for a while before slowly taking a sip) Yeah, I'm fine.

Sky: (Places his drink down and reaches for hers to place it down as well.) Is it something you can't share with me?

Bloom: (Sighs) I guess I'm still a little nervous about drinking things.

Sky: That's it?

Bloom: Sky, by drinking a mysterious potion, I put everyone in danger. My blood was taken away as a result.

Sky: (Gently touches the three lines and sighs) No one had seen that coming. Now, we know that when we're given a mysterious drink from someone we don't know to not drink it.

Bloom: But it said that it was from you!

Sky: Then how about this: If I send you something, I'll let you know in advance. If you get something from me and I didn't tell you, then call me first first before drinking it. Deal?

Bloom: (Sighs) Deal.

Sky: (Smiles and passes Bloom her drink again.) I'm sure that this'll pass.

Bloom: (Smiles back and takes the drink.) I hope so.

Sky: (As he picks up his own, he rubs the back of his neck in awkwardness) So listen, can I run something by you?

Bloom: Sure.

Sky: (Pauses as he finds the right words and then finally speaks.) Brandon's thinking about asking Stella to marry him.

Bloom: (Full of energy now) Seriously!?

Sky: Shh! It's really on the down low. Brandon has mentioned to me that he wanted to ask for Stella's hand. He's nervous because one, he's not a prince, and two, Stella might not take him seriously.

Bloom: Why would he worry about those things? Stella wouldn't hesitate to say yes.

Sky: Well that's the thing. There're moments when Stella seems to love him, but then there're moments when she…looks like she doesn't.

Bloom: Should I talk to her about this?

Sky: Only ask about how she truly feels about Brandon and if he asked her to marry him would she take it seriously. Just, try not to imply that he's gonna ask her.

Bloom: Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me.

[Next…]

Flora: So what do you think Scarlet's gonna do?

Helia: Knowing her, she's gonna debate this in her mind so much that when the time comes to tell him, she'll freeze up.

Flora: Poor Scarlet.

Helia: What did you get from your conversation with Matt?

Flora: He really didn't say much. He's similar to Riven in that way.

Helia: Well, they did grow up together.

Flora: (Stirs her drink and looks over at Helia) Would Matt really hate Scarlet for being a vampire?

Helia: I don't know. What I do know is that if she tells him anything that she hid, he'll at least stay with her longer than he would have if he didn't know. (Sighs) This is one crazy relationship.

Flora: I appreciate you talking to her.

Helia: (Smiles as he tucks a light brown strand of hair behind Flora's ear.) I was the first to discover her secret. If I pulled her aside to encourage her to tell Matt something, then she knows that she has to do it soon before someone else beats her to it.

Flora: (Giggles at first, but then looks back at her drink) I wish there was something else I could do to help.

Helia: Flora, you're done so much for the Winx. What else could you do?

Flora: Everyone's feeling upset by all these attacks and getting blood taken away from them. They're losing confidence. I try to say things to make it easier on everyone, but whenever I say something like, "Let's just process this slowly", I feel so stupid for saying it.

Helia: Now why would you think that? That's completely crazy!

Flora: Because if I was really helping out my friends, I wouldn't be talking about it, I'd be doing it.

Helia: (Sets down his drink and takes Flora in his arms) Where's this coming from?

Flora: Whenever I see one of my friends sad, I wanna let them know that I'll always help them or listen to them if they need help. Most of the time, that was Bloom, but now it's Scarlet. And everytime I look at her I see so much pain and suffering.

Helia: She's not suffering.

Flora: I feel like I can't help like I've done with Bloom and the others. Even now I'm failing them.

Helia: (Pulls her back and wipes away a tear.) Who makes the all night potion for the classes at Cloud Tower? Who talks to silent specialists because she's worried about her friend? Who's always by someone's side taking care of them and making herbel remidies to give them strength?

Flora: But that doesn't do anything.

Helia: (cups her face) It does everything, Flora. More than you even know. (Pulls her in for a kiss.)

[Next…]

Musa: I know you wouldn't care what I wore, but I thought that wearing something that you found me attractive in for the first time would be a nice surprise.

Riven: (Staring straight ahead) …

Musa: I can't believe that that was three years ago. Wow, I've ben crushing on you for that long? When I first saw you, I never thought that you'd wanna be with a tomboy like me.

Riven: …

Musa: (Pouts a bit before staring straight ahead too) And I've grown as a musician. A lot stronger than ever. I've got the Winx to thank for that. You, of course, get the other part of the thanks.

Riven: …

Musa: Okay, Riven, what's going on? You've been quiet all night not saying a word to me about anything. Wanna help me out with the whole conversation thing?

Riven: …

Musa: (Sighs) Fine. I'll go get more drinks, then. (She takes a step before Riven grabs her wrist)

Riven: Wait.

Musa: (Turns her head) What?

Riven: (Pauses, but doesn't let her go) It's true…that we've known each other for three years. (Musa listens carefully as Riven pulls her closer) And I've realized that…we don't know much about…you know…where we come from and stuff.

Musa: But you told me that the past shouldn't affect me now. Unless, of course, now it is and I'm allowed to know.

Riven: (Blushes and avoids eye contact with Musa.) When we first got together, I didn't know where it would go, so I thought it was fluke thing. But ever since last summer, I was beginning to think that this is more than that. The reason I fight is for you and if you were not with me…I dunno what I'd be.

Musa: (Smiles and rests her free hand on Riven's grasp) I'm glad that you realized that this was more than "a fluke".

Riven: (Smiles and then looks at her hands) To sum up everything about my past, my mother left me when I was young. Since her disappearance my father doesn't pay attention to me at all. When I got mad, I'd get violent. That's why I learned combat skills and like to fight. It's the best way to get the anger out of me.

Musa: (Places her hand over her mouth) I'm so sorry Riven. I never knew.

Riven: You weren't supposed to know. I resented girls in general because of my mother and I hated working as a team because I never got help from my father.

Musa: What about Matt?

Riven: Matt was the only guy in the universe I felt I could trust. He convinced me to go to combat schools and learn different skills. Of course, he discovered that I couldn't go alone because I'd get into fights with everyone.

Musa: Wow. I never would've thought that Matt was the nice one.

Riven: (Chuckled) Yeah, I know. I told him I'd swear off girls forever and he said that he'd follow me. He never really liked girls because they got in his way, so he thought it was a good idea…at the time.

Musa: Then Scarlet and I came into the picture.

Riven: We both got accepted to Red Fountain and he decided to join a different team than me. When I asked why, he answered, "You need to learn how to work with other people and not just me. You don't have to trust them, but you have to work with them to be a good fighter." I got mad at him for a bit and thought that I could do everything by myself. Then there was the troll and you in the swamp.

Musa: I can understand lose. I lost my mother when I was very young and my father had problems accepting it. He didn't do anything bad to me, but he hated music, the one thing that brought him and my mom together. He wanted me to do something "useful" in my life, so he sent me to Alfea.

Riven: Looks like we had our share of unfortunate events.

Musa: Yeah, but you had Matt. He's a good friend to you.

Riven: Musa…he's not just my friend…

[Finally…]

"What're you talking about, Matt! I won that battle! Fair and square!" Matt crossed his arms over his chest and gave me his wicked smile.

"No you didn't. I tripped after landing from my attack on you. There's no way that you would've been able to knock me down from the distance between us."

"Yes I could've. It's called moving quickly and laying low. Matt, I won that battle!"

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did!"

"Wanna rematch?"

"You bet!"

"Now?"

"Right now!" Although I was full of rage, something changed. His eyes began to shimmer differently as he slightly lowered his head and let his arms free. He threw himself at me, knocking us down onto a sofa and pressed his lips harshly against mine. His tongue entered my mouth and rapidly explored, taking my breath away. He smoothly wrapped one arm between my shoulder blades and the other around my waist and gripping onto my thigh. My mind became so fogged up in the comossion that I couldn't help but respond. My stomach began to squirm with pleasure and I felt my blood grow warmer and warmer the more we kissed. His hand supported my neck and head as he lowered it onto the soft cushion of the sofa, allowing his other arm to free itself from my waist and towards my other thigh. His grip tightened on it again as I sharply inhaled though my nose with such desire. My hands gripped on tightly onto his button down shirt, tingly for the sensation of wanting to touch his bare chest. Slowly, my hands gained a will of their own and slid into the opening of his shirt. I could feel his blood rushing and burning his flesh underneath my fingertips. I pushed my hands under the shirt and let the slither down his back, allowing me to pull him closer.

When I did, he pulled his lips ever so slightly back and kissed the left corner of my lips. His lips pressed around to my cheek and froze there. I heard him smirk and breathe hot air near my ear.

"I discovered a vulnerable spot for you," he whispered, sending chills throughout my body. I felt my heart pounding, wanting more, so I whispered, "Wh-what do you mean?" I heard him chuckled as he brought his lips closer to my ear.

"You like to be bitten, don't you." My eye grew wide as he exhaled down my neck, sending electrical chills across my skin. And then…I felt it: his teeth clamping down on my neck and sucking it as if he were drawing my blood. A moan escaped my lips as I felt myself falling into the most pleasurable feeling I'd ever felt. He pulled harder as I drew a quick breath. My hands were clawing against his back as I pulled him tighter to me. I felt my blood leaving my body and heading towards his mouth. I felt weak, but my heart was pounding so fast that all I did was take it in.

Finally, he removed his lips from my neck and looked at me, his ice blue eyes swirling with passion that I could help but place my hands behind his head to pull him in for another kiss. It was my turn to explore and my tongue searched all over his mouth and played with his tongue like no other. One of his hands went up my shirt while the other snuck into the back of my capris. His cold hand was hot against my ass as he pulled me even closer to him. Our bodies were morphed together making sure that there was no gap between us.

Suddenly, my heart beat banged in my ears. Passion soared through my blood, burning my skin with the desire of his touch. I traced my lips across to his cheek and then down his neck. I could hear it. His blood. Rushing underneath his smoothe skin. It was calling to me. As I got closer, my fangs slowly grew longer. My tongue snuck out of my mouth and licked the side of his neck; the side I wanted the most. I carefully brought my fangs to his flesh. His blood was rushing. I was so thirsty. My heart was pounding loudly as Matt's blood rushed in the background…

_What am I doing?!_

I froze as my tongue traced my fangs. I quickly drew back as the passion and desire that I felt evaporated, causing my fangs to quickly return back to normal. I placed my hands over my mouth and felt hot tears sting my eyes.

_I was gonna bite him! What was I thinking?!_ The steams of tears slid over my hands and fell onto Stella's borrowed clothes. My heart was no longer beating, but sinking into my stomach. That's what I wanted to do: sink and disappear. Or evaporate and become air and escape this madness that I was in. I bit my lips tightly together to hold back my sobs.

_I have to apologize!_ I thought, _But if I speak, I'll just squeak out sobs and I don't want him to see or hear that!_

A hand cupped the right side of my face and gently forced it to look up. I opened my eyes to find Matt looking very serious. The passion that were once in his eyes disappeared and the ice blue froze my heart.

"I knew it," he said, "The guys said that you were hiding something and you are." He paused as if wanting me to speak. Like hell I was. My body was frozen from what I was about to do and terrified that he was going to break up with me because of my vampire self. More tears poured down my face as he closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. When he opened them again, they no longer looked as serious, but rather concerned.

"Look, I can't be with someone who hides things from me. I just can't. Secrets are what make people believe that a person's one thing when they're really not. I hate that. I don't want to be with a girl who deceives me with lies because of a stupid secret." I still didn't move, even after he gently wipped away the steam of tears that continued to pour.

"Worst of all, the team knows what it is and I'm apparently the only one left in the dark." I closed my eyes to try and hold the tears back, but it failed.

_I don't want to tell Matt. He'll hate me for not telling him. But Helia's right. If I don't tell him, Riven might beat me to it. And if I'm worried about him breaking up with me, better do it with my own words than with someone elses._

"Scar." I opened my eyes and looked into his. "Tell me what it is." I swallowed very loudly to espress the difficulty in me telling him. What was I going to say? While I was trying to organize my thoughts, Matt reached for my hands and pulled them away from my mouth. I looked down at them and took a deep breath.

"I have a special condition," I slowly began, "that I've had my whole life. Every night of the new moon, I transform into…a darker version of my fairy-self. Sorta like an anti-fairy." I paused to see if he was confused or had questions, but he nodded his head as if to continue. "Anyway, recently, the negative energy within me has been increasing drastically…to the point where it's…equivilant to the strength of a…pure vampire." I whispered the last two words and waited for him to speak. "It's because of this condition that I have that might confuse Cian to believe that I'm the Balance he seeks…because of this energy that's within me." I paused again trying to think of a way to make sure he didn't know I was a vampire. I didn't say it, but maybe I implied it and he got the message. He finally let go of my face and looked out at the room with the rest of our friends.

_I guess this is it._

"You've got dark magic in you?" I jumped when he spoke and nodded.

"I've recently discovered that the other power I have is Night." He nodded, but remainded to look very serious.

"So…you have the strength…of a pure vampire…"

"According to Ms. Griffin and Ms. Faragonda."

"So are you a pure vampire?"

"No. I'm not. I'm only half." For some reason, I no longer felt that I was trying to explain myself to Matt, but rather I was trying to convince myself that Griffin and Faragonda were wrong; that I wasn't a pure vampire. I looked up a bit to see him nodding. "Half vampires are very rare, but not impossible. The only reason why I have the strength of one is because I was surpressing my vampire self all my life. I was ashamed of it…I still am." When he turned to look at me, I looked back at my hands. "A-anyway, I'm working on balancing out my vampire powers with my fairy ones because once I do, I won't be a monster anymore." I smiled slightly to myself. "I will only transform when smelling blood and under a new moon. I won't have to worry about negative energy overload." I kept my smile and looked up at Matt.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I wish I didn't have such a trait at all." I rose up out of my seat. "I'm gonna leave early I think." I took a step forward before having a hand snap at my wrist. I looked back and saw Matt staring ahead.

"Is that it?" He asked.

"You know just as much as everyone else now." He tugged at my arm, causing me to fall next to him on the sofa.

"Good." My eyes grew wide in shock as I turned to face him.

"What?" He looked at me and gave me a smirk.

"You were gonna bite me, weren't you." Heat flushed through my cheeks as I looked away.

"Again, my powers are completely imbalanced right now, so transformation occurs more frequently than normal." He began to laugh as I gritted my teeth at him. "You jerk! This is no laughing matter!"

"I know, I know," He said in gasps, "It's just, my cousin keeps making these remarks that you're a demon or something."

"You're cousin?" I thought back on earlier in the year when Helia mentioned Matt's cousin.

"Yeah, he kept on telling me, 'That Scarlet girl's a monster', but that's crazy. Half-vampires aren't as threatening as pure ones, like Cian. They live off of so much blood." He paused again and gave me a questioning look. "Do you live off of other people's blood too?"

"Half-vampires can live off of their own blood." I felt my cheeks growing warm again. "Me about to bite you was something I've never done before." He chuckled again and leaned back on the sofa looking satisfied.

"Well then I've got nothing to worry about now. I'm dating a half-vampire fairy who doesn't like other people's blood." He gave me a wink. "I feel safe."

"Thanks." I said sounding clearly upset. I paused as I thought about what Matt said. "Your cousin said that I'm a monster?"

"Yeah, poor fella."

"Who's your cousin?" Matt gave me a surprised look.

"You didn't know?" I shook my head. "My cousin is Riven."

"What?!" I shouted. "I never knew."

"And you'll never know how much trouble you're in." I felt a shiver run down my spin as I looked towards the entrance of the room, which was near me and Matt, to see Faragonda and Griselda, looking pissed as hell. Griselda looked down at me with her nose high up in the air.

"I knew that you girls would stay out late," she said, "Good thing Magix doesn't have many dance clubs." I watched her scanning the room and pointing at Stella. "And you, Miss Stella, thought that you and your friends could sneak out."

"Why me?" I heard Stella mutter under her breath. Faragonda stepped forward looking displeased with her arms behind her back.

"I think it's best for the specialists to return to Red Fountain while you girls come with us," she sternly replied. I looked at Matt who sighed and silently headed towards the exit with the other guys. The two professors stepped aside as the left, but quickly closed the exit once Nabu had gone through.

"What were you girls thinking?" Faragonda asked in disappointment, "Cian's out on the loose, planning to attack at any minute, and you're having a party with the specialists?" None of us answered.

"I say a proper punishment's in order," Griselda announced. The girls groaned as I let my head hang. Fortunately for them, they didn't have to feel the burden of wondering Matt's feelings for me. Sure, he seemed alright when I told him, but was he going to accept that and keep dating me? Plus there's the fact that I'm actually not half, but a full vampire, though I still found that hard to believe.

"Indeed it must," Faragonda second, "And it seems that cleaning the entire school will be the perfect punishment."

"Again?" My friends moaned.

"Well you clearly haven't learned to just stay put when you're told to," Faragonda pointed out, "Anyway it's not the whole school. Only the classrooms, cafeteria, library, infirmary, corridors, and other public areas throughout the school."

"But how're we gonna do that?" Stella whinned.

"Well, you'll have to use black magic and convergence to get the school cleaned and in order."

"That's gonna take about two days to do," Tecna calculated, "What about classes on Monday?"

"You're going to have to finish everything before classes," Griselda answered.

"What about our homework?" Flora asked.

"Have to still be done before your classes on Monday."

"No fair," Stella mumbled. Griselda leaned her ear closer towards her and said, "What was that?" Stella gritted her teeth and replied, "Nothing."

"Good." Griselda signaled us to follow her as we began to take our leave. "And no one's getting their presents until the school's spotless."

"Are you serious?" Stella whispered, "I've been looking forward to my present." When we reached the entrance, Faragonda collected the presents and they teleported us back to Alfea.

[Meanwhile…]

(Matt's reading another book in his room when there's a knock on his door.)

Matt: Yeah? (Looks up to see Helia entering his room.) Hey.

Helia: Hey. (Sit on the chair by Matt's desk) That was some party.

Matt: (Forces a laugh) You have no idea. (Pauses and looks at Helia) Okay, maybe _you_ have an idea.

Helia: (Crosses his arms and shrugs his shoulders) As I've told someone else, I'm an observer and notice things others might not.

Matt: Yeah, you're right about that.

Helia: Now, you making out with Scarlet was probably seen by all of us.

Matt: (Face turns a little red as he runs his fingers through his hair.) Yeah, should've taken that elsewhere.

Helia: However, you were farthest from everyone, so maybe only Flora and I noticed.

Matt: (Still red and looking bummed for getting caught) So you knew about Scarlet being a half-vampire?

Helia: I didn't know. I figured it out before anyone else.

Matt: I can't believe that she didn't tell me sooner.

Helia: (Sighs) She wasn't gonna tell anyone at first. But when I found out, I gently threatened her to tell her friends or else I would tell Flora.

Matt: She must've flipped.

Helia: She did. But in the end we all saw her in her vampire form. You weren't with us, though.

Matt: (Closes his book and thinks for a bit.) Scarlet mentioned about being ashamed of being half vampire. I don't get why she would think being only "half" qualifies as a monster.

Helia: Maybe some encouragement from a specialist she likes will make her feel better about transforming.

Matt: Maybe…I dunno. It's just…weird. I thought she was a warrior fairy. Now there's this to deal with.

Helia: You don't have to "deal with it" if you don't want to.

Matt: (Chuckles) Yeah, then she'll hate me. And to be honest, I don't like that idea.

Helia: Then you just have to accept it or end it.

Matt: (Nods in agreement and pauses. Looks at Helia) How come you're good at this sorta thing?

Helia: (Shrugs and smiles) I just think about Flora.

Matt: And she thinks about you. She told me how she was unsure about your feelings when you two first got together.

Helia: (Laughs) I remember that.

Matt: She wants me to give Scarlet a chance. And so do you.

Helia: Whether we're asking or not, it's up to you. (Gets up and pats him on the shoulder) At least you know she's not lying or hiding something from you.

Matt: Yeah, you're right.

[Back at Alfea…]

I sat in the shallow end of the Lake in my vampire form as Blanche looked at me in disbelief.

"I can't believe that they made you clean all of Alfea! How did you manage to finish it in only a few hours?" I took a deep breath and kept my eyes closed.

"There's a spell that Ms. Griffin uses to create two of herself to teach us the dark arts. We decided to do that spell for every area of school we had to do. It took out a lot of energy (And strands of hair, might I add), but thanks to my own energy spell, we were able to clean the corridors. Eventually, the other clones joined in and we finished by midnight. Thank you convergence and black magic."

"That sounds so amazing!" Blanche pulled her knees into her chest and smiled at the thought. "To go to Alfea College and learn magic. I wish that I could've done that." My heart sank a bit before rising into my throat. I felt bad that I was telling her these things that she can no longer do.

"Um…" Blanche stopped imagining and gave me a smile.

"What's up?"

"This is awkward of me to ask, but since our destiny's are intertwined, can I ask some questions…about you." Blanche stared at me blankly before asking why. "Because you know almost everything about me including things I don't even know, so I think…to help understand things better, I should know who my…partner is." Blanche continued to stare blankly at me before taking a deep breath and trying to smile.

"Ask away."

"When we first spoke to one another, you were floating in the wind. When I asked you if you were a fairy, you answered that it was a long story. Is that still true?"

"Nope." She said, smiling normally now, "I was a wind fairy like you once. But now that I passed away my power's gone. However, I can see the wind spirits now and understand them better than I ever did when I was alive."

"So you were like me?"

"The wind part of you, yeah."

"How strange. Did you ever go to school?" Blanche shook her head.

"I died when I was ten years old, so I had barely begun magic schooling."

"Where were you gonna go?"

"Inter-Realm Academy for Fariy warriors." My heart froze as my eyes grew wide.

"Y-you were gonna attend Inter-Realms?"

"Yeah. My parents wanted to make sure that my powers were true before sending me there. Too bad we never found out." She giggled. I looked at her while feeling a bit confused about her reaction to my questions.

"You don't seem to mind talking about your old life," I mentioned. Blanche fanned herself as she shook her head.

"That was nine years ago. Of course I still feel sad, but I can look at it differently now." She took my hands into hers. "I know that I had to die to help you, the Balance, from the evil that's coming." I squirmed in the water and felt my bat wings fluttering to pull me back.

"Um…how did you die? If I may ask." Blanche let my hands go and drew circles in the water with her index finger. The wind pushed her blonde hair back as she spoke.

"I don't remember much," she began, "I was playing with my sister outside. She was a fiary like me, but her powers were still unclear. Since I knew mine was wind, we were playing with the wind. However, I lost control of the wind and I flew farther than I wanted." She paused for a moment and placed a hand around her throat. "I was heading back towards my sister when a creepy guy jumped out of nowhere in front of me and…" She started to shake. "…he slit my throat." I pinched my lips together as tears trickled down her cheek.

"I felt so cold and numb. I smelt my blood spill to the ground. I saw my sister's face when she found me. She tried to use her magic, but the man threw her aside and knocked her unconscious." Blanche looked up at me and smiled, "She was so brave. I had to protect her somehow, so while drowning in blood, I released my soul into the wind and was able to protect her until our father found her."

"Blanche…" was all I could say. She wipped away her tears and sighed.

"It's okay. Oddly enough, people across the universe die all the time. I'm constantly meeting new people, so I'm never lonely. Plus I'm one with the wind now. That helps."

"You meet people who've died?" I repeated. A sudden thought popped into my head. I slammed my hands into the water so that I was on all fours, brining myself closer to Blanche. "Then you must've met our school!"

"Maybe," she said, surprised by my burst of energy, "From Inter-Realms there were so many people that I just said hello to a few."

"What about Celia or Lucentia?" Blanche thought for a minute before I noticed her eyes growing wide.

"Does one have fire red hair and another multi-colored eyes?"

"Yes! Have you seen them?!" I placed my hands together and laced them, pressing them close to my chest.

"Y-yeah, I saw them." Tears gathered in my eyes, but they were tears of joy and relief. I wrapped my arms around Blanche and cried. Blanche returned my hug as she held me for a few minutes. Finally, I pulled back and wipped away my tears.

"They're safe," I whispered.

"Yes, they are," Blanche whispered back. My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't keep up with it. _I have to know…_

"Can I see them?"

"What?"

"Well, I see you whenever I'm unconscious or asleep. Can I see them too?"

"I'm not sure," she answered, "The reason you're here is because of your powers. Normal people don't have this luxery."

"Please, can I see them? I miss them so much and…" I remembered when I last saw them while standing on our balcony, promising to fulfill my mission of seaking a dress for the welcoming party. "…I never really said good bye or apologized for not fighting with them."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Really?"

"I can't promise anything, though. Maybe you can summon them at the Lake with your powers when you're awake. If so, you can introduce them to your new friends."

"Do you think I have that kind of power?"

"Your power is the night, right? So try it." Blanche gave me a supportive smile as I tried to calm down my beating heart.

"Anyone else you want me to find?" I thought about people at Inter-Realms and Aquila that I knew before my heart pounded slightly.

_Jeremy. My god, I haven't thought about him in a while! I've been to busy with Matt…_ Blanche must've called my name a few times because she was poking my shoulder constantly. I shook my head and sighed.

"Well…there was a top student at Inter-Realms whom everone adored and every girl wanted to date him…" Blanche gave me a coy smile and nudged me.

"You're not thinking of cheating on Matt, are you?"

"Of course not!" I shivered at the thought. "The person I'm seeking was my first boyfriend and he was killed before our relationship could begin. I wanna…"

_What do I wanna do or say to him? "Sorry that you're dead"? _

"I understand."

"Huh?" Blanche gave me a wink and smiled.

"You're gonna wake up anyway, so don't fret. I'll try to find your friends and old beau." I smiled as I felt the wind wrapping around me. Suddenly, I remembered something.

"Blanche!" I shouted, "Can I summon Musa's mother at the Lake?!"

"Try it out!" I couldn't confirm it for I was thrown back into my bed at Alfea and I noticed that I face was dripped in tears.

[Meanwhile…]

Cian: (Pours mysterious liquids into a beaker and mixes it carefully. The Witches join him in his lab) Damian and Lolita refuse to tell me anything. I expected as much.

Icy: Why don't you get rid of them then? They seem to be of no use to us.

Cian: (Pauses mid-pour and turns his head slightly) They are still of great use to us. They just need some more…persuasion.

Stormy: What kind of persuasion?

Cian: (Continues to work) Telling them about their daughter of course. The fact that she is alive is enough hope for them. Though her parents won't speak, her dear friend will.

Darcy: What're you working on now?

Cian: A booster potion. Based on the Illusion attack (Chapter 13) I began to think that we could pinpoint the fairies' weaknesses.

Darcy: What about the specialists?

Fury: Please. Their weakness is clearly losing one of those brats. It's annoyingly obvious.

Cian: Which is why I'm not focusing on them with this.

Icy: So why a booster?

Cian: (Pauses in his work and faces the witches) Fury can sense fear within any creature. Because the Winx are becoming more powerful, so must we. Therefore (gently picks up beaker), by drinking this, your power for pinpointing fear will not only increase, but come true.

Stormy: (whispering to Icy) That doesn't seem to be much of a plan.

Cian: This takes patiences. We have collected almost all of their blood; already I'm working on another project with what you've collected that will be an interesting sight to see.

Fury: What're you planning, master?

Cian: I plan on creating something special for each specialist and fairy. Something so unique and strong. Something that will crush them for good.

Icy: (Grins) I like the sound of that. Care to share details?

Cian: Do I ever reveal something as incomplete as this?

Stormy: (sighs) No…

Cian: Exactly. (Picks up the beaker and hands it to Fury) Once this cools down, drink it. It takes time to work.

Fury: Yes, Master.

[Back to the Winx…]

I couldn't get what Blanche said out of my head. Did I really have that power? To summon spirits at the Lake of Wonders just like that? I wanted to tell the others, but then I remembered Musa's disappointed expression. _If I really have such a power, then I'm going to use it to bring Musa to her mother_.

"Alright class, take yer seats," shouted Professor Wizgiz, "Today we've got a lot to cover. First thing's first: In order to continue your training to become even stronger fairies, you must understand one word…Balance." Upon hearing this word, my ears perked up and all previous thoughts were shoved out of my head. The class whispered the word and heard the girls reminding one another to pay close attention.

"Now, from what you learned sophomore year, with every light, there is dark. The universe couldn't function properly if one was out of place. The best image to refer to would be the ying-yang, a classic term known throughout all realms." With a wave of his hand, he created a ying-yang symbol. He pointed to the little black dot surrounded in the white drop. "However, within every big element, there is a hint of the opposite, keeping things in order on one side. It's sort of like a reminder of some sort: Don't tip the Balance. Because if you do, the other end will prevail in order to bring everything back to normal. Now, a balance can relate to people as well. Within every good person, there's a spot of evil, and visa versa. There's never any pure light and dark. If that were the case, then the universe would be boring."

During the lecture, something hit the side of my head. I looked over and it was Bloom, motioning that after class we were to convine in order to discuss our convergence project. I'd completely forgotten about it, especially with all that's happened: Meeting Cian himself, discovering I'm not a half vampire, but a full one (still haven't accepted that), I apparently can call spirits from the other world, and Matt now knows I'm part vampire. So much to take in and I have to figure out how to rediscover my charmix. I knew that that wasn't gonna be easy.

Feeling that I needed to relax a bit, my eyes wandered to Flora, who looked a little distroted with something. I wasn't sure what, but she was staring out the window and kept on sighing every now and then. Carefully, I tried to grab Layla's attention. Once I did, I whispered,

"Is everything alright with Flora?" Layla shrugged her shoulders. I guess I'd been too busy worrying about my own problems that I hadn't even thought about anyone elses.

_Flora's been nothing but kind to us. It never occurred to me that something would be on her mind._

"Further more!" shouted Wizgiz, grabbing my attention, "It's usually suspected that people have significant halfs to complete themselves; therefore, they are able to complete the Balance that is known as a yin and a yang."

"A significant other," I heard Musa mumble beneath her breath. I turned my head and she winked at me. "I wonder if in our case that's the Winx or the specialists."

"Or our pixis," Tecna added in a whisper, "That bond is very deep as well." I smiled at the two and turned back to Flora. She couldn't have been worried about Helia and their relationship, especiallay since Helia speaks so highly of Flora.

Finally, class had ended and we all met up with Bloom to work on our forever long convergence assignment. A symbol that represented all of us? How could we do that with seven girls? Unfortunately, work wasn't the main focus on my mind. I managed to get Flora alone for a moment and quickly asked if she was alright.

"I'm perfect fine. Why do you ask?"

"You looked a little down in Wizgiz's class, so I thought that there was something on your mind."

"I'm just worried about everyone, that's all." She looked over at everyone else. "I've noticed that Bloom's more cautious than ever about eating and drinking things, which concerns me; Tecna, though she doesn't seem it, is frustrated about not knowing certain things." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know that you're having trouble coming to terms with everything that's laid before you." I turned my head away.

"I can't help it. I just don't believe it. I refuse to." I looked back at Flora with a smile. "I refuse to believe that I'm the Balance, but that's a burden I'm carrying on my own."

"You're not alone in this. You've got us, the specialists, Matt." I bit my lower lip.

"Yeah, about that…I told him about being a half vampire." I expected Flora to speak, but she nodded instead.

"I understand why you chose to tell him that. Your whole life you thought that you were only half and now…" She pulled me in for a hug. "No matter what, we support whatever you decide to believe in and what you decide to tell people."

"Thanks." She gently pulled me back.

"Just make sure you eventually tell Matt the truth. When you come to terms with it." Stella shouted for us to rejoin them. We waved back and was about to head over when I reached for Flora's shoulder.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'll ever come to terms with being a true vampire. I just can't." Flora didn't say anything again and just smiled. Once we met up with everyone, Layla whispered,

"So did you find anything out yet?" I shook my head.

"The topic switched from her worries about us to my own problems."

"That's Flora for you."

"Maybe Helia will know something. Should we ask him?"

"Maybe."

"What're you two whispering about?" Bloom asked with a grin. Layla and I shook our heads. "Okay, just remember, no secrets among the Winx. We're all going through this craziness together, so we need to keep the union strong."

"Yes ma'am," Layla and I said together.

"Good. So about the circle here, I was thinking…"

After our meeting, I decided to head over to the Lake of Wonders. The idea of summoning spirits really intrigued me and I wanted to give it a shot. The Winx wanted to follow, but I insited that it was something I had to do on my own. I could tell that Musa wasn't too thrilled about about it, but if I was going to perfect this, I needed total concentration. Also, what if I couldn't do it? Musa would be more curshed than ever, and I couldn't live with that. As usual, after some convincing, I was able to head on over on my own…well, almost.

"I'm your bonded pixi!" Luna cried, "It's my job to go with you to places."

"But then that defeats the purpose of going alone," I replied. Luna lifted her little nose in the air.

"Have you noticed that whenever I'm around, you happen to do better with your powers than when alone?"

She had a point, though I refused to admit it. Wanting to change subjects, I said, "Have you spoken to Chatta recently?"

"She's spoken about everything. Anything in particular?" Before I could ask, Luna pointed ahead. The Lake was approaching. As we landed, I couldn't help but think about Blanche. She's such a brave girl and so positive, even though the odds were against her. I looked over at Luna.

_She really looks like her._ My pixi looked at me and gave me a confusing look. "What?"

"Have I ever told you that you look like Blanche?" Luna blinked for a moment before shaking her head.

"Do I really?" I nodded.

"The hair, the eyes, the face, it's amazing. The more I look at you, the more alike you two seem to be."

"I wonder why?" Luna asked. I shrugged my shoulders and faced the beautiful waters.

"But before anything, we've got this to figure out." Luna nodded.

"According to what we know, the only reason for your connection to spirit world is because of your vampire powers." She gave me a look that I didn't like. "For starters, transfmoring will help."

"Do I have to?"

"If you want to summon your friends and Musa's mother, then yes, you have to transform." I sighed as I stirred my wind magic to pour out the silver liquid from my hand. It formed a small dagger with a silver blade and my scarlet gem towards the handle. Once complete, I wrapped my other hand within it and held my breath. I pulled the blade through my hand and winced. My sweet scent filled my nose and I didn't hold back. My fangs grew and my hair grew within the wind. I felt Luna sit upon my shoulder as I slowly opened my eyes. Thankfully, the sun didn't sting them, but I had a feeling that that was Luna's doing.

"Now what?" I asked my pixi. She shrugged her shoulders and I let my head hang. My eyes fell onto my hand. My blood was dripping and about to fall into the water. An idea popped into my head. I raised my sliced hand and squeezed it. The pain stung as scarlet droplets fell off my hand and into the clear blue water. There was some steam that rose up from the area my blood fell in, but as it rose, a familiar figure stood before me. She smiled proudly at me.

"Looks like you've figured it out."

"Blanche!" I shouted. Luna gasped at the misty figure. Blanche looked at her and had a similar reaction.

"You've got a pixi!" she cried, "And she looks like me!" She looked back at me. "But look at that! You got me here! And you're not unconscious."

"I thought there'd be more to it." Blanche shook her head.

"You have what spirits want: Blood. We don't have that anymore, so when your blood is spilt here, we appear."

"We?" Blanche's smile grew wider.

"Squeez out more blood." I immediately did as my heart began to race within my chest. More droplets fell and more mist appeared next to Blanche. Once it slightly cleared, tears stung my eyes as my heart rose in my throat. I brought my hands to my mouth to try and control my sobs. My body began to shake, causing me to fall to my knees.

Before me stood Celia and Lucentia.


	18. Chapter 18

_**[Hi Readers! I'm writing to inform that I've decided to change the format of the story a little bit. Hopefully it'll be clearer and a little easier to read. Let me know your thoughts and send** **reviews!]**_

Chapter 18: When shall we three meet again?

"Scar!" They shouted, reaching through the mist to reach me. Without thinking I stood and reached out to them, and the three of us crashed into one another, tears falling and grips so tight. They were here! My friends! My best of friends! Here! In my arms! Everything around me faded and it was just the three of us again. I broke out (embarrassingly enough) in uncontrollable sobs. Celia and Lucentia repeated my name, over and over again while I muffled, "I'm so so sorry." Slowly, we all loosened the hug. Celia, with her dazzling large smile, reached out to wipe the tears away from my eyes.

"This is no time to cry," she said, failing in holding back her own tears, "This is a reunion. There're no tears in reunions."

"Cel, please, we haven't seen her in so long," Lucentia pointed out, wiping her own tears behind her glasses. Her mulit-colored eyes sparkled. "We have every right to cry." I couldn't stop smiling until the image of their death flashed before my eyes. My smile immediately faded as I lowered her head.

"I'm sorry." Celia and Lucentia stopped talking and looked at me. My grip on them tightened as more tears fell from my eyes. "I wasn't there to fight with you, to die with you. I failed as an Inter-Realms student." My body began to shake again as my friends pulled me into another hug.

"Did you complete your mission?" Lucentia asked me. I nodded in their embrace as they loosened it once more. "Then you didn't fail as an Inter-Realms student." She paused and sighed. "Besides, we didn't see this coming. It wasn't your fault." I shook my head.

"Because I left, those creatures came in through the barrier."

"Doesn't matter," Celia replied, "They would've gotten in anyway." She took my hands into hers and she pulled me close. "But enough about us, what dress did you get?" I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You always avoid the main point, Celia. Just like Stella."

"Stella?" They asked together. I stopped laughing, remembering that so much has happened since their death. I smiled and plopped in the shallow end of the lake, resting my sliced hand underneath the water.

"Why don't the three of us sit down and I'll tell you everything."

[Back at Alfea…]

Flora couldn't finish her letter to Helia. Deep down, she felt that she was just repeating her concerns over and over again. She heard a gentle knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in." The door opened and Layla poked her head out. When she realized who it was, she smiled. "Is everything alright?" Layla walked in and closed the door behind her.

"Actually, I was gonna ask you the same thing." Flora didn't undserstand what she meant. "You've seem upset recently." Flora shook her head, resting her hand on her letter.

"I'm just worried about everyone, that's all." Layla walked over to Flora's bed and sat down.

"We're all worried about each other. But what about _you_?" Flora pushed her letter under one of her poetry books.

"I guess I'm just worried that I'm not helping enough. A Winx's suffering is my suffering, and I feel it building. I figured if I could help out in some way…" There was another knock on the door. When it opened, Tecna entered with a worried look on her face.

"Hey, have you guys seen Scarlet?" They shook their heads. "This isn't good. She should be back by now." Flora's energy began to prick her skin with worry.

"Should we go look for her?" Layla asked. Tecna shrugged her shoulders.

"I would assume so, considering our last encounters with Cian and the Trix." Flora rose from her desk. She had to do something.

"Let's go look for her," she suggested, "She might need our help." Tecna shook her head.

"Let's give her more time. Faragonda may have put up the barrier, but she'll let her in. If Scarlet isn't back soon, though, we'll go and find her." Flora sat back down in her chair, for she wasn't convinced. But since Tecna and Layla believed Scarlet to be okay, Flora let it go.

[And…]

"So that's why I'm even here in the first place." I concluded, "To see if I could bring you guys here, and it worked!"

"Wow," Celia replied, "All that happened since then." She turned to Lucentia. "Kinda hard to believe, right?" She nodded as Celia's eyes began to glow. "Oh, how I wish I could meet this Matt. He sounds so dreamy."

"Well, I wouldn't say 'dreamy', but he's certainly dashing." I gently stirred the water. "It's been difficult." I paused a moment before asking, "Have you guys seen Jeremy?" My two friends looked at one another and shook their heads.

"Once we died," Lucentia said smoothly, "we all sorta scattered about. Celia and I stuck together, but we didn't see anyone else we knew. Over time we've found a few, but not him." Celia nodded in agreement.

"It's a big world the afterlife." She giggled. "It so crowded and full of people, it's kinda like you're too busy to remember that you're gone." Her voice trailed off towards the end, though I wasn't surprised. As energetic as she was, Celia was still felt pain. Feeling Celia's sorrow, I tried to cheer her up.

"Well I'm glad you didn't see him. It would be terrible to see him now, after…everything." I pinched my lips together. "And yet, I feel that I should see him and…I dunno…"

"Break up with him?" I hung my head low as Lucentia adjusted her glasses. She always called it like it is.

"I don't know what else to do. I've felt…I feel like…we need closure. Yes, I was upset that he was gone. We could've done great things together." I felt my heartbeat quicken as my mind thought about my specialist. "But with Matt, it's different. Layla and Musa have pointed out that there's something between us that might have not been there with Jeremy."

"Chemistry?" Lucentia suggested.

"Attraction?" Celia added. I looked over at Luna, who crossed her little arms and kicked her legs. She hated the topic of Matt.

"Was it that obvious?" I asked. Lucentia shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm noticing that the way you're talking about Matt is different than the way you used to talk about Jeremy."

"Plus," Blanche added, "Different circumstances calls for different things. If none of this happened, you would be very close to Jeremy."

"But not as close as you seem to be with Matt. Still sucks, but I'm happy to hear you've moved on." Celia concluded. She sighed. "You did good, Scar." Lucentia took a deep breath.

"The power of the night…Interesting."

"Yeah," I said, "I'm still…" My vision began to fog up as my head began to feel light. Suddenly I felt like my body became smoke. I swayed and tried to speak, but everything went dark as the three called out my name.

[Outside Scarlet's mind…]

Luna got off of Scarlet and pushed on her shoulder. She wouldn't budge. Desperately, she called her name, but nothing. Frustration stirred as she snarled at Blanche.

"What happened to her?" Blanche dark eyes fell onto Scarlet's sliced hand. Her blood continued to stream into the lake. She rested her hand under Scarlet's.

"I think we've found our problem," she said. Lucentia leaned over the cut, examining the blood line. It led her to where she, Celia, and Blanche sat.

"We're feeding off of Scarlet's blood." She turned to Celia, "As long as her hand is in the water, we're still here."

"That can't be!" Celia shouted, draping herself over Scarlet. "We should take out her hand then! But then we'll disappear. But we have to get her back to school! How're we gonna get there without disappearing?" Lucentia took off her glasses and splashed her face with the lake's water. When she shook her head, drops clung onto strands of her hair. She placed her glasses back on and took a breath.

"Blanche, you said that when she's unconscious, her mind comes into this world, yeah?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid her conscious is too deep." She placed a hand on Scarlet's forehead. "Because she's in her vampire form and hasn't had any blood, she's terribly weak. Scarlet can't even transform into her fairy form 'cause she doesn't have enough energy." Blanche moved her hand onto the cut.

"Enough." The three looked down at the pixi. Luna stood tall in front of Scarlet. "I don't care how long you know her or how well, but she's MY fairy!" She flew towards Blanche and pointed a finger at her. "There's something you're keeping from me and I demand to know it, or I'll take out Scarlet's hand and make you disappear!"

"Easy, Luna," Celia replied, "Blanche is trying to help."

"No she's not!"

"Actually…"Luna and Celia looked at Lucentia. She was silent for a moment before giving Blanche a questioning look, "How well do you know Scarlet?" Blanche lowered her eyes. Luna could see that she was having trouble answering the question.

"More than you know," she finally said.

"Then tell us everything you know," Luna challeneged, "If anything, I have a right to know."

"Uh, guys?" The three turned over to Celia, who kept on pressing water on Scarlet's forehead. "She's growing cold." Blanche shook her head.

"Ugh, alright! Luna, go to Red Fountain and get Matt."

"What? Why?"

"Because Red Fountain is closer to here than Alfea or Cloud Tower. If you want to help Scarlet, get Matt." The two glared at one another. Luna crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air.

"Not until you tell me everything you know. We may look alike, but we're different. Whatever concerns Scarlet concerns me!" Blanche stood up, making herself taller than the pixi.

"Fine…the Balance isn't born. It's created. It takes two people, one being the sacrifice while the other lives to carry the burden…"

[At Red Fountain…]

Matt knocked on Bradon and Sky's door, though he figured Riven wouldn't be in there. Sky opened the door.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Have you two seen Riven?"

"I think he said he was gonna train for a bit."

"Figures." Matt noticed a small, black velvet box in Bradon's hands and pointed to it. "You should just ask her and get it over with." Brandon grabbed one of his textbooks and threw it. Matt managed to close the door before the book hit him. He chuckled to himself as he headed towards the weight room. On the way, he paused for a moment and pulled out a long and thin, rectangular box. When Faragonda and Griselda broke up Stella's party, he'd snatched up his present for Scarlet. Matt thought he would've seen Scarlet by now, but knowing her, she was probably hiding from him again. The clanking of weights began to echo down the corridor. Matt slipped the present back into his pocket and knocked on the metal doorway. Riven smiled at the sight of his cousin and grabbed a towel.

"Hey, Matt." He paused to catch his breath. "What's up?"

"Scarlet told me." Riven stopped his breathing for a moment.

"Well?"

"She said that she's half-vampire?" Riven sighed in relief.

"About time she told you." He threw his towel aside and began on another machine. "So you end it with her?"

"Nope." Riven couldn't believe it. He asked again. "I'm still interested." Riven swore under his breath.

"She's a blood-sucking demon, Matt. She's got dark magic running in her veins."

"She hasn't turned on us now."

"And what makes you think she wouldn't do it later, huh? You may have experienced dark spells and potions, but you've never experience what dark energy is like." Matt kept his mouth shut. He was tired of this.

"Look, I know you don't like her, but don't take your anger out on me. If Musa were in the same position—" Riven pulled out a ninja star and flung it at Matt. He quickly stepped aside as it stabbed into the bulletin board.

"I'm sick of you comparing Musa to that blood-sucker."

"And I'm sick of you insulting Scarlet." He pulled out the star and carefully tossed it back to Riven. "I'll shut up about Musa, if you shut up about Scarlet." Riven glared at him, but said nothing.

Suddenly, something flew through the door. A small Pixi barely hovered in the doorway. She held onto the metal frame for support.

"Matt," she panted, "Where…is he?" He walked up to her, hands in his pockets, and fingers wrapped around the present. He asked why she was here. "Scarlet…she needs help." Matt took a deep breath. Did Cian come back already?

"Where is she?"

"At the Lake…" Matt nodded. He didn't need to hear anymore. He slightly turned his head towards Riven.

"I'm goin' out." He nodded towards Luna. "You're with me." He ran down towards the Red Fountain garage and found his motorbike. He told Luna to hold onto his jacket since he intended to drive as fast as he could to get to the lake. While the Pixi grumbled her way into securing herself a seat, Matt strapped on his helmet and started the engine. He didn't wait to see if Luna was secured before he drove out.

All he could think of was protecting Scarlet. It was his turn to rescue her.

When he arrived, Scarlet was safely out of the water. Luna flew to her and tried to shake her shoulder. She still wouldn't move. Matt checked her pulse and breathing. It was weak, ("as usual," Luna commented). In one motion, Matt scooped Scarlet into his arms and carried her to his back. He then took off his jacket and did his best to wrap it over her shoulders. Her legs couldn't be covered, but he did his best to her keep warm. Once he felt she would be alright for the drive, He drove her (and Luna) back to Alfea. Upon arrival, Luna flew to tell the others while he began to carry her to the Hospital wing.

_What've you gotten yourself into this time?_ He wondered, carefully brushing her hair out of her face. She didn't react. Instead, she began to shiver. Quite suddenly. Matt's grip tightened around her when he heard girls shouting Scarlet's name. Flora reached him first. She rested a hand on Scarlet's forehead.

"She's very cold."

"Yeah," Matt said sarcastically, "and soaking wet." Bloom asked about what happened, but Flora didn't allow Matt or Luna to answer. She instead gave each Winx a task while Matt and she got Scarlet settled in the Hospital wing. Matt watched in silence as Flora remained calm and focused. By the time they were heading to the wing, four girls and their pixis were doing errands for Flora. When they arrived Flora didn't stop, and it wasn't until they were alone that she began creating an herbal substance. The sound of leaves being peeled rhythmic hushed in the room. Matt felt compelled to speak.

"How do you do it?" Flora didn't understand. "This! You're running things so smoothly. You're companion is weakening and you're so composed. That's amazing. No wonder Helia's so calm." Flora humbly giggled.

"No, he's the one who's taught me to be calm. Sophomore year, I didn't believe in myself at all. I didn't think I could do anything right. However, he helped me." She looked away from Matt and continued with her work. "Without saying a word, he straightened my shoulders and pulled me up out of my thoughts."

"Yeah, you guys seem to…understand each other enough." Riven's words returned in his mind. Matt shook his head, hoping to shake the thoughts away. Why would the number one person he trusts hate one being so much?

"I'm sure she's fine," Flora said, pulling Matt from his mind, "Scarlet loves to do things on her own."

"I wish she would stop."

"But that's what makes her…her, I guess."

"Do you like it whenever she leaves and returns on the brink of death?" Flora stopped peeling and shook her head.

"But she won't listen to me anyway." She continued with her work and the two were silent once more. The silence began to bug him. The longer it lasted, the deeper into his own thoughts he sunk into. Why did she do this to herself? Why does she insist on working alone? His mind circled back to Riven, which made him so frustrated he had to stand up. Flora was surprised by his sudden movement as he quietly stood by the window.

"You certainly care about her a lot," Flora commented, "You treat her like she's part of the team." Matt didn't respond. "And I know she cares for you deeply." He pressed his head against the window. Flora wiped her hands together, allowing the thin leaves to fall into the glass. She sighed. "I know this is none of my business, but I must say it." She stood and faced Matt, looking very adult and serious. "All of our lives are on the line. If you feel any love towards Scarlet, then you must tell her." Worry crept back into her face. "She seems to faint more and more as her Night powers grow stronger. Her vampire self is demanding dominance over Scarlet's fairy self. Every day she is fighting to stay strong." She paused. "The only thing she's insecure of is you."

"What?"

"Scarlet is still only nineteen, just like us." She smiled. "Silly boy problems are fixable, but Scarlet doesn't see it like that." Flora took the glass of leaves and brought it to the sink. Matt followed. "She's never had a relationship like this before. We six have." The squeak of the faucet was drowned out by the flow of the water. When it returned to turn it off, Flora added, "I guess what I'm trying to say is: The best way to help Scarlet is to show her how much you care."

"How?" He asked after thinking it over for a moment. Flora walked back to Luna and gently propped her head. Flora smiled at him.

"That's something only you can figure out." She brought the glass to Scarlet's lips and carefully poured the water into her mouth.

[Scarlet's mind…]

The cold kept nibbling around me as my head continued to shoot pains throughout with every movement. I was surprised. This was the first time I was alone within my own mind. From far away I could hear laughter. I managed to see a little girl with long black hair running around and laughing. I didn't need anything else to tell me who she was.

She was me.

_I must've been playing in the gardens with Princess Kayla. She was always so kind towards me_. As I watched myself, I couldn't help but wonder when this happened. I noticed in the background that I wasn't near the palace but rather…my house. The princess would never leave the castle without guards. Must've been someone else then that I was playing with…but who? Though the bigger question was, _Why can't I remember this?_ In the faint breeze, I could hear someone call my name. It sounded like it belonged to a child.

"Scarlet!" The little me heard our name and shouted, "Coming! Don't move, okay?" While watching myself run, I couldn't help but follow. Why didn't I remember this? Was I just dreaming? I could've have been. I would be in the spirit world if that was the case. But why wasn't I there? I stopped behind myself as I looked around. Within the bushes, I noticed something bright. As I looked over, I could make out a figure of another child. It was hunched over, but for some reason, I knew she was a girl. Someone I've known forever.

Suddenly, my throat was filled with water. I placed my hands gently around my throat as I tried to swallow it. It tasted like bad tea. Before taking another breath, more water came down. I completely blacked out again and began coughing.

"I think she's coming around," I heard in the distance. I rolled over and coughed until my lungs were sore. My eyes finally opened, staring at familiar teal tile flooring. I knew that floor very well.

_Wait, how'd I get…here…_?

"Scarlet!" I looked up as Luna flew towards my face, hugging and kissing the side of it. "I was so worried!" It took me a while to gather my thoughts as I sat up.

"What happened?" I asked weakly. Luna pulled away from me and sat on my lap.

"You were talking to Blanche and your friends for too long." She lifted my bandaged hand. "Blanche said that it's because of the amount of blood you poured into the Lake. It almost drained you dry." I blinked in thought before nodding in remembrance.

"So how'd I get here?" Luna pouted and crossed her arms.

"I had to get someone fast. Blanche told me to get Matt. Believe me, I'd rather gotten the Winx, but you were in a crucial state."

"Matt?" I scanned the room to find him. He stood near the window, his ice eyes shining and his genuine smile warming my heart.

"You feeling okay?" he asked smoothly. I didn't respond right away. Instead I panicked and pulled the covers over my head. I regretted it the moment I did it.

"Sorry," I muffled, slowly pushing the covers back. "I was just surprised." Flora pulled off the rest of the blanket and passed me a glass with strips of leaves swirling at the bottom.

"Drink this. It'll help clear your mind." I carefully lifted the glass and took a few sips. As I did, Flora continued, "Layla's getting some blood and Stella's getting you dry clothes." I nodded and continued drinking my medicine. Flora glanced at the door. "I wonder why they're taking so long." She pulled my long hair back over my shoulders and added, "I'm sure she's just busy with another patient. Until then, please stay in bed and rest up." I'd swallowed the last drop when I nodded in agreement. My eyes stayed focused on Luna and my empty glass as I shook my head. "I assume you found what you were looking for?"

"Yeah," I said with a weak smile, "I finally saw them."

"Though it nearly cost you your blood," Luna pointed out.

"There was something I needed to ask them to do, though."

"What?" Flora and Luna asked together. My grip on the glass tightened.

"I really want to find Musa's mother. If there's any hope of her seeing her spirit…then maybe Musa wouldn't feel so lonely." Flora placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I only ask you to be careful. Wait until you can actually summon her mother before telling her." I nodded in agreement.

"It might be best to keep this quiet." I looked over at Matt, surprised by his comment. "This sounds like an experiment. You don't want to hurt your friend and disappoint her if it fails. But if it succeeds, she'll appreciate the effort. It's better than waiting around every day, waiting and waiting for you to say that you've done it."

"I'm surprised," Luna began, "That you're alright with keep secrets from the Winx, but not from you." Matt chuckled.

"Since this doesn't concern me, I don't care what's kept a secret." He moved away from the bed and headed towards the door. "I'm gonna head back to Red Fountain." His eyes briefly caught mine and a smile appeared. "I'm glad you're alright." And then he was gone. My heart fluttered for a moment before remembering our last conversation. I hung my head low, causing strands to fall in front of my face.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" I shook my head. "I'm sure he had to get back to school for academic reasons." She rubbed my back. "He's been by your bedside the whole time."

"How can he stand to be near me…when I'm like this?" I looked at my wrapped hand and touched the bandage. Flora placed and hand over it and shook her head.

"You don't have enough blood to sustain yourself yet. Wait until Layla gets back." We were silent for a minute before footsteps echoed in the hallway. They sounded like they were running. "That must be her now." But she was wrong. Matt appeared in the doorway, panting and rolling his eyes.

"Woah," Chatta said, "You look awful. That didn't take long. What happened? Where'd you go? Why did—" But he raised his hand to shut her up.

"Don't you have a barrier to keep those witches out?"

"Yeah," Flora and I said together, already worried about what was going to come out of his mouth.

"Well, either it's not up or it's not working. They're in."

"In?" We repeated.

"Yeah, they're in. They're snooping around the school." Panic struck me.

"I didn't sense them at all." I threw the blankets back and kicked my legs over the edge of the bed. My legs began to wobble when I stood up. Flora offered her arm. I grabbed hold of it.

"They must've gotten the others," Flora cried.

"Very possible," Matt agreed, "I'm going to call the guys for back-up."

"Good idea," I said, feeling my Inter-Realms knowledge kicking in, "Meet them at the gate and tell them what we're up against. We'll find them and try to hold them off."

"You can't fight in your state," Flora mentioned as I let her go. I gave her a confident smile.

"If I'm conscious, I can fight." Before she could oppose, I walked towards the door. Quietly, we walked through the halls of Alfea. It was deadly silent, causing fear to spread across my skin. I closed my eyes as I did my best to focus on any dark energy within the school. Even though I was weak, sensing dark magic was easy. Luckily, they weren't near us, but we were on the other side of the school. We had to hurry. When we reached a door that led outside, I asked Matt,

"Where did you see them?"

"Floating through the hallways and saying, 'Here, fairies, come and find us'."

"So they're definitely within the school."

"We should find Musa first," Flora suggested, "She's the only one out of the three of us who hasn't had their blood taken yet."

"I'm gonna wait for my team." As Matt went out the door, I quietly said, "Be careful."

As much as I wanted to run, Flora insisted on walking. Not only because of my sad state, but because it would give us a chance to sneak up on the Trix. Since Musa was instructed to go to Faragonda's office, it was the first place we went to. When we arrived at Faragonda's door, it seemed untouched. With the wave of her hand, Flora opened it. To my surprise, Faragonda's office seemed intact. Maybe her big red chair was out of place, but that was it.

"Well," I said with a sigh, "No one's here." My weight shifted as I leaned against the door frame. What little energy I had began to disappear.

"There has to be a way to find her," Luna suggested. Flora walked up to Faragonda's desk and pressed something. A bright line appeared and opened up to show the map of the school. Feeling some hope stir in my body, I approached the map.

"Headmistress Isabella had one," I mumbled, "But how can we get it to find Musa?" Flora outstretched her hand and the map faded, revealing the missing Winx. Musa was in her Winx form, flying away from attacks of some sort.

"The Trix," Flora whispered, looking up at me with great worry, "They beat us to her."

"Where's she headed?" Flora looked through the lighted map, waving her hand every now and then.

"Outside…" She trailed off. Something must've clicked inside her head because Flora ran to the window and added, "Tecna's outside! And she looks like she's out cold."

"We better help her. The more Winx, the better." I outstretched my hand and whispered, "Thujkoh." Cracks began to form in Faragonda's window and shattered the glass into tiny pieces. As they chimed on the floor, Flora thrust her arm in the air and shouted, "Binding Root!" The building began to shake as roots grew and laced together. She managed to twine it into a latter. As she began to climb down, I said, "I wish that I could create my wind current."

"We have to work with what we have, Scarlet."

_She has a point_. Taking a deep breath to clear my mind, I followed Flora down. When we reached the bottom, we sprinted towards Tecna. Her face was down on the ground while Digit was trying to get her on her feet. She saw us approaching and sighed in relief.

"Thank god," she muttered.

"What happened?" I asked

"We were trying to find a heating spell when the Trix attacked Tecna, knocking her out."

"Touq." A violet glow surrounded Tecna, causing her to stir and wake up. Digit eagerly flew to her side.

"How did those witches get in?" Luna asked,

"I have no idea," Tecna answered, frustration radiating in her voice, "Faragonda made sure that the barrier would keep them away."

"How'd they hurt you?" Tecna shook her head.

"I dunno, Flora." She took a moment to control her anger. 'I was suddenly struck with such fear that…I couldn't move. I must've passed out." A giggle tickled my throat.

"I'm glad that I'm not the only one." Tecna smiled and got on her feet. "Layla and Stella should be in our room. I wouldn't be surprised if the Trix had gotten to them too."

"They're after Musa," Flora added.

"Then let's not waste any time." I raised my hand in the air and shouted with the two, "Magic Winx!" Ribbons began to wrap around me as my vampire winx outfit appeared. Once complete, I rested my hands on my knees and took a few breaths. Flora placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you going to be alright?" I looked up, took a deep breath, and nodded.

"I'll be careful." I fluttered my wings and began to levitate. With Tecna and Flora following me, we crashed into our room. As we expected, Stella and Layla were lying on the floor, faced down in the common room area. Flora pointed towards her room.

"Scarlet, have some blood. It should be near my potions." Without any hesitation, I flew into her room and found a beaker of blood near some other potions. Quickly, I drank the syrupy blood, a trickle escaping my lips and running down my chin. It took me seconds to finish that beaker and I felt better. I began to feel a little bit of my energy returning to me. I walked back into the common room and found Stella and Layla transformed, healed, and ready to fight. Upon seeing me, Stella smiled proudly.

"See? I told you Scarlet was going to be okay."

"Nevermind me. We've gotta find Musa."

"Already located her," Tecna chimed in, her mini laptop in hand, "She's found Bloom and is heading outside."

"Well then, what're we waiting for?" Layla asked, running towards the balcony doors, "We've gotta protect her." Following her lead, we went back outside and placed ourselves in front of the school gates. Luna settled herself on my shoulder as Tecna filled us in.

"Based on my calculations, Fury's magic is stronger than normal. It seems she can sense our fear without casting any spell. We cannot underestimate her. Not only can she notice our deepest fears, but I think she makes them come true."

"That explains how they got in," I concluded, "I can imagine that the barrier failing is Faragonda's fear."

"That's a logical explanation, though I hate the idea that Fury can now come in as she pleases." We all nodded in agreement. Moments passed before we saw shadowed figures from within the doorway.

"Brace yourselves," Laya whispered. I wrapped my fingers around the ribbon in my hair and stood in a balanced stance. Thanks to Luna, my eyes weren't so sensitive to the setting sun. I was able to make out Musa and Bloom flying towards us at a fast speed. Once they were entirely outside, I took the ribbon out of my hair and shouted, "Ribbon Strike!" I whipped it towards Fury, who was behind Musa, and knocked her into her other witches. Taking that as their cue, the other winx started their attacks, giving Musa and Bloom enough time to reach us.

Fury was my main opponent. I used every dark spell I knew to make up for my lacking in energy. But that could only help me for so long. Fury's green glow attacks drained more of my energy than I could use. And I was running out of spells. Acting on instinct, I brought the palm of my hand towards my mouth, fangs sharp and ready to pierce.

"_DROP THAT HAND!" _I lowered my hand and jumped out of Fury's attack.

_Blanche? _

"_Yes, Blanche! What do you think you're doing biting yourself with the Trix around?"_

_I need the energy._

"_But if you show blood, Fury could take it and give it to Cian! We can't have that!" _

_Then what do you suggest I do? _

"_Night magic?" _I pinched my lips together and shook my head. Fury struck again.

_I dunno. I'm really not comfortable using my vampire powers. _

"_Come on, Scarlet! You need to use them. Lucentia and Celia say that at Inter-Realms, you were taught to use everything you have to gain victory." _My heart paused, causing me to be still for a moment. This allowed Fury to hit me, causing me to fall flat on my face.

"_That's gotta hurt." _I carefully pealed my face from the dirt and shook my head.

_Are Lucentia and Celia with you? _

"_Of course they are! They say that they refuse to leave until the destiny is fulfilled. They want to help too…Oh, they want me to remind you something: 'Falling on your face is a total disgrace. In order to win, you must use all from within'." _I pouted to myself as I got back up on my feet. I know that saying very well. It was something I learned in the early years of Inter-Realms.

_Of course they'd say that. _I took a deep breath and faced Fury. She cackled away, feeling victorious. _What should I do? _

"_First, you should try to relax. Let the magic flow through you." _I was about to when Fury threw another attack. Every time I tried, Fury swooped in to stop me. Frustration stirred in my chest.

"What's a mater?" Fury shouted as Blanche spoke, "Griffin's lessons not sticking?"

"_You can do this Scarlet. Lucentia and Celia say that they know you can do this."_ I continued trying, but no luck._ "Just do it!" _The frustration grew with the increase of voices around me.

"FINE!" I decided to switch gears.

I began to fight as if I was in my fairy form. Somehow, my body seemed to know how to react whenever Fury launched her spells. It was as if I had energy all along! Then, as Fury flew towards me, something came into my mind. I placed my hand out and allowed magic to pour out of it. Sparkling dark blue liquid formed a small sphere. Intending to throw it, I brought my arm in and said, "Nightfall." I threw it to Fury. It unraveled its navy ribbons and wrapped around her. She swore loudly as it bound her. Once entirely covered in ribbon, she plummeted to the ground.

"_You did it!"_

_I did._ Surprised by what happened to Fury, everyone stopped and stared. Feeling a little light headed, I fell to my knees, noticing the sudden dryness in my throat. Footsteps ran towards me.

"Scarlet," Musa cried, "Are you alright?"

"I'm really weak, but fine." I looked down at my hands. "I used my Night power."

"That's great!"

"But I don't understand. Why can't I transform back to my fairy form?"

"Flora says it's because you're too weak to change back."

"That makes no sense."

"Whether it does or not, let's get you up." But before she could help me, I noticed the skies growing darker.

"Look out!" I pushed Musa out of the way and felt the lightning hit me. The electrical pain surged through my entire body and the negative energy poisoned me. Once it stopped, I fell over. Musa called my name and I opened my eyes, giving her a thumbs-up. "I'm…still okay." I could tell she was pissed. She stood up facing the witches with her arms outstretched. Icy, Darcy, and Stormy formed against her while Fury staggered around; very surprised that she was hit with such an attack.

"Do you really think that you can take all four of us?" Stormy asked, making her dagger appear.

"Did you forget about us?" Bloom asked, leading the others in front of Musa, "We're so sad to be forgotten so easily." Flora rushed towards me and helped me up as I watched yet another fight break out. What really caught my eye, though, were Musa and Darcy. Musa was fighting her all while Darcy dodged them with ease.

"I swear, Musa," She shouted while throwing an attack, "I will be the one to take you blood. I still haven't forgiven you for taking Riven."

"That's strange. If I recall, you guys manipulated him and then betrayed him once you had what you wanted." She raised her hands high and brought them down saying, "Sonic blast!" Darcy countered it and pointed the dagger at Musa.

"No one can have any of my ex's."

"There's more than one? I'm surprised. You don't seem like the boyfriend type." She took this moment to giggle. "Poor guys. They must've been desperate if they fell for you." She threw another sonic blast and added, "Or did you manipulate them too? Can't find yourself a real guy to truly like you?" Darcy began to turn red with anger and flew straight towards Musa, dagger pointed right at her. I took out my ribbon from my hair and shouted, "Ribbon Strike!" It whipped at Darcy to knock her off her path towards Musa. Fury noticed this and launched another attack on me. Flora countered it for me.

"Stupid knats!" Icy shouted while freezing Bloom and Layla with what I assumed was ancient ice magic. "They're just getting in the way!"

"I'll say," Stormy second, creating a tornado to keep Tecna and Stella trapped. Darcy brought up her dagger and pointed to us.

"All we need left are those three. Let's get them while they're fresh." As the four came towards us, Musa came in front of me and Flora and created a disco ball, surrounding us and blasting the witches.

"You can't do this forever," I said to her, "I know you're running low on energy."

"I'll just boost myself with an energy spell then. We need these witches out of here. I'm sick of them and their constant invasion." She made the disco ball disappear and threw more attacks. Flora was continuing to help me when stormy threw a lightning bolt at her, causing her to pass out. I grabbed her wrists and healed her with dark magic. Once she was conscious, she created a wall of roots to surround Stormy. I extended both of my hands and let the navy spheres appear once more.

"Nightfall." They wrapped around Fury and Icy, causing them to fall straight to the ground. Musa had Darcy under control until a purple ball hit her in the back. She fell in front of us. Darcy flew towards her, dagger pointed and ready to stab once more. Musa rolled out of the way, but the dagger followed through. The cut was on her arm, deep as her blood raced down her arm. I was really weak, and seeing her blood made me thirsty. But I continued to resist. Flora ran to Musa and tried to stop the bleeding, but she too, was having trouble.

"Finally," Darcy said while panting, "I've got Musa's blood." Her smiled disappeared as her face became disgusted with it. The blade only took a small sample. "I wanted to stab her."

"One day you will," Fury replied, "Let's see if I'm just as lucky." She frantically flew towards me. I brought my arms up, ready to feel pain, but somehow, it never hit me. I lowered my arms and saw vines trapping Fury.

"You've got blood," Flora shouted, "Now get out of here!" The other three began to surround her, daggers pointed and armed.

"Aw, look at that," Icy said in a mocking way, "The little nature fairy wants us to go away."

"Always running around and helping people when in fact she just gets in the way," Stormy added.

"Just because we've got one more doesn't mean we're done," Darcy added. Fury turned her head towards Flora.

"Once I'm done slicing up this bitch, you're next!"

"Not while I'm still standing, ready to fight." She jumped and her wings kicked in, flying her high in the sky. Before the witches could leave, something exploded around them.

"Think I can't fight? I know of plants that explode when fully surrounded."

"You bitch!" Icy shouted.

"Call me what you want, but I'm never going to give up. I want to help others and if I can't then I fight for them. No matter how bloody this war will come to, I will continue to help my friends and those I love. By helping them, they have another chance at kicking your asses. And no one; NO ONE, is going to tell me otherwise!" Suddenly, a bright light began to around Flora. It didn't surround her for long, but once it vanished, a breastplate of some sort rested on Flora's chest while a little purse hung from her shoulder. My eyes grew wide as I heard Bloom whispered,

"Flora unlocked her charmix." Feeling proud of herself, Flora dug into her bag and blew the powder onto the witches. They began to cough and couldn't stop. The harder they tried to breath, the harder it was for them.

Let's *cough cough* get *really bad cough* outta here!" Fury heaved. The witches rushed together and disappeared. Flora took out more powder and threw it on Bloom, Layla, Tecna, and Stella, freeing them from their traps. They all ran to her, drowning her in hugs. I was trying to get on my feet when a familiar shout reached our ears. We turned our heads to see the specialists running in our direction, uniforms and everything. Riven was the first to reach us, running straight towards Musa. As soon as he saw her wound, he glared at me.

"Why didn't you protect her?"

"I tried. I did all I could."

"I don't care whether you're too tired to protect her or not. You're capable of moving and talking, therefore, you should've fought to protect her."

"Riven," Musa cried, "It wasn't her fault. She needs her rest to get her energy back. She needs to transform back into her fairy form."

"Fairy form or not, she's still a monster."

"You just don't get it, do you!" I was surprised to hear Luna's voice. She was so quiet during the battle that I'd forgotten about her. "Most of her vampire blood was lost. To transform between fairy and vampire, you need the most amount of blood to trigger it. Now, because of her experiments, Scarlet almost lost it all. And considering how vampires normally don't have blood, it takes longer for her to create more." She got closer to Riven and poked him on the nose. "So before you call my fairy a monster, you should hear why she's in her very vulnerable state!" He sharply tuned his head away from Luna.

"I still don't care. Musa got hurt and it's all _her_ fault."

"That's enough, Riven." Riven looked at Flora now, her charmix gleaming brightly with power. "If you want to help Musa, come with us to the Lake of Wonders. It'll get rid of any toxins that might be in her bloodstream. However, I will not allow you to say cruel things towards Scarlet. It doesn't help her at all." Riven scooped up Musa, who argued that she could walk on her own, and glared at me again.

"None of this would be happening if you weren't here. Decide whether you'll stop it with the dark magic and vampire stuff and be like everyone else, or do us all a favor and disappear." People began to protest, but he ignored them. As he walked back to his bike, Musa continued to protest, but Riven refused to listen. I got to my feet and quietly headed towards the main entrance of the school.

"Scarlet." I turned my head. Flora looked at me with such concern. "You're not joining us?"

"I'm scared that if I do, Blanche and my friends will appear. If I see them, we'll all have questions and want them to answer them. In order to do that, you need my vampire blood. I can't afford that. Plus, Musa will want to see her mother, and I don't have the blood to do that either." Flora nodded in agreement and looked over her shoulder.

"Luna! Take Scarlet to our room. She needs rest."

"You got it!" Luna rested on my head as I smiled at Flora.

"Thanks." Flora smiled and pointed at her charmix.

"My pleasure." With that, I transformed back into my clothes, and headed towards the hospital wing.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hi again, readers! Finally I have posted another chapter. I feel like I've created a huge story and am dragging it a bit too long. Sorry if this chapter seems rushed. Again, never hesitate to write a review! Any suggestions or even notes of okay-ness will let me know my story's doing alright (even if it has been a really long while). As always,** **enjoy!**_

Chapter 19: Letting Go

After a day's rest in bed, I was able to transform back into my fairy form. Although my health returned, Riven's words still pierced my chest. I couldn't help but constantly ask Musa if she was alright.

"I'm fine! Really, I am," She reassured, "And Tecna said all the toxins are gone."

"Based on my last reports, anyway." She sighed and plopped onto the couch.

"Everything alright, Tecna?" I asked.

"I feel like my data is continuously wrong."

"That's not true," Musa objected, "You're magic is so key to this war. You have the data of past fights, you can predict what might happen next; you've helped out a lot." Tecna shook her head.

"You don't understand. My hypotheses were wrong. There were even data that I hadn't obtained yet." She sat up, her eyes staring at her feet. "I feel so useless." Before I could disagree, someone knocked on the door. It was Flora. She carefully opened it, a guilty smile on her face.

"I couldn't help but over hear…" She closed the door behind her and joined Tecna on the couch. "Please don't think that you're useless. You keep track of so many things that even Faragonda has to turn to you for advice. Aren't you working with her on perfecting the barrier?"

"Yes, but it's challenging. I've never faced anything so…" She hung her head lowered. "I just don't want to be a disappointment to you guys."

"Believe me, Tec," I assured, "you're not." I tucked my freshly cut hair behind my ears and continued, "You're using your magic to help me understand my powers, right?" I could tell that she wasn't convinced, but she smiled anyway.

"Alright. If you say so." The main door opened and the pixies flew in. Luna hovered in front me and asked, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I am. Sorry to worry you." Luna gave me a concerned look before adding, "Faragonda wants to see everyone." Without hesitation we got up and headed towards the office. When we arrived, Bloom, Stella, and Layla were already there. Griselda stood as usual by Faragonda's side, adjusting her pointy glasses and looking displeased.

"I hope you're all well-rested." Faragonda began, particularly looking at me, "I know that battle wasn't much in our favor." Riven's words echoed in my head as I looked away. "Hopefully we'll be more prepared next time. For now, though, I'm resuming afternoon classes after lunch." The Winx groaned in disapproval.

"Why?" Stella whinned, "All we've been doing is work!"

"Because we're falling behind and need to prepare ourselves." She rose from her big red chair. "Classes will teach you new methods of fighting and new ways to form spells. Although you seven have been busy with battles, you are a bit behind in training." Stella grunted in disgust, but Faragonda ignored it. "This is a very serious matter! If you girls can't perfect your fairy forms—"

"—Then Cian will destroy all of Magix before anyone could rescue it!" Griselda finished. Faragonda glanced over at her assistant. She read the head mistress's face and quietly took a few steps back.

"Griselda is right." She stood up straight and added, "In order to perfect your power, you must understand yourself. Completely. Your strength, your weakness, your desires, your fears. Anything and everything that there is about you, you must learn to _understand_." She made eye-contact with each and every one of us as she added, "I know you girls aren't pleased with reviewing what you know, and I know you're not pleased that you're reviewing three years in one. But you must set that aside." Faragonda smiled at Flora. "You've received your charmix because you stood up for what you believed in. Even if you might fail, you tried, and succeeded." Flora smiled. "I've got special training for you. Brace yourself." She looked over at the rest of us. "You six too. You've got to unlock your charmix if you're ever to achieve your greatest power. That power is key to defeating Cian."

"Excuse me, Faragonda," Bloom interrupted, "but what is this 'great power'." With a snap of her fingers, a familiar book began to levitate from Faragonda's desk. It landed in her hand and she flipped it open.

"I've finished analyzing Countess Clarissa's book. Unfortunately, it didn't tell me how to stop Cian." She paused briefly on a page. "However, it told me more about the Balance." My stomach churned at that word. I didn't want to hear it. Faragonda took a breath before continuing, "According to the Countess, the Balance isn't something one is born with. It's created." Faragonda looked up at me. "She says that it takes a sacrifice to properly form it."

Chills of panic ran through my body. Sacrifice? What sacrifice? Aquila never did sacrificial rituals. We didn't even have a death penalty! I tried digging through the archive in my mind, searching for some answer. I couldn't find any. It didn't make sense.

The Lunch bell couldn't have rung sooner.

"Well well," she muttered, "look at the time." She placed the book down on her desk and brushed her hands together. "Come, come, girls. Lunch will give you the energy you'll need to focus on your studies." She gently guided us out off her office.

"But Faragonda!" Tecna cried, "What about the barrier? We have to get that up before Cian attacks again."

"We're working on it, dear. But at the moment, we need you study and train." Tecna kept quiet, and so did the rest of us. I may not know Faragonda as well as the Winx, but my magic was buzzing with suspicion. I could sense through the others.

Without a word, we headed to the dining hall for lunch. Our pixies met us there, eager to hear what we had learned from Faragonda.

"I hate that she's not keeping us informed," Bloom said after Flora finished the explanation. She feebly poked her food before pushing it away. "It makes it seems like she's up to something." Layla pushed Bloom's plate back to Bloom.

"I hear ya. But we've discussed this already. She doesn't want to tell us, so why should she?" Bloom sighed and continued poking her food.

"I hate that she won't tell us anything."

"She's being illogical," Tecna stated, "Cian can clearly break through the barrier without any effort. How will 'studying' help with anything?"

"It's strange hearing that from _you_," Stella commented while stealing some of Bloom's food. "You love studying."

"It's one thing if this was just school. But it's not. This is another war, this villian…" Tecna shook her head. "…I can't tell if he's worse than Valtor, or any of the other villains we faced."

"And yet the Trix are consistant," Musa added, "They just never leave." Flora nodded.

"It seems that their fate is intertwined with ours. I mean, Countess Clarissa wrote about them so long ago." She turned to Luna. "As a pixi of legend, is it possible that the Trix fate is with Cian?" Luna shrugged her shoulders.

"It's possible that the reason they keep returning is because of their fate with Cian. Then again, it's also possible that they're just your number one enemy." We fell silent again. Flora slapped Stella's hand as she had downed most of Bloom's food. I nibbled on my bread roll and thought about everything everyone had said. Faragonda's words fell heavy on my shoulders, the idea of the Trix forever haunting us hung over me, and I grew worried about the Winx.

Recently, we've all been upset about something. I've been too busy being in my own conscious that I haven't really noticed how weak we've become. Not in strength, but with ourselves.

"This timing is suspicious," I muttered. Musa overheard and asked what I meant. "For starters, how interesting is it that now's the time to regain our Charmix? A time where each of us second guess ourselves and grow fearsome of the battles to come." They all thought for a minute before Tecna answered first,

"Logically speaking, it is very interesting. Cian has attacked numerous times, and yet he seems to get away in the end. It's like he knows more about us than we do about him." I nodded in agreement.

"I think he does. Maybe it's from our blood samples, I don't know. But something occurred to me." I locked everyone's eyes with my own and said, "I think he's been weakening us with these battles."

"What do you mean?" Flora asked.

"I'm not sure. I'm just thinking aloud, really. In hearing about your previous enemies, this seems so different."

"The difference is that he's winning," Bloom added, a hint of defeat in her voice. "I think you're right, Scarlet." She sighed and allowed Stella to eat her last bit of food. The others stared at their plate. Each one discouraged.

"I don't say this to upset you," I said, "I just…" I couldn't find the words to express what I was thinking. Too many thoughts shot through my mind. It felt like it was going to burst. It didn't settle down until the bell rang for our afternoon classes. Silently, we all walked to our classrooms, slipped into our chairs, and did our best to pay attention.

My mind couldn't focus on Avalon's lesson. It kept on thinking of other things. Since my coming to Magix, everything had transformed itself into a tangled web. I believed that each battle against Cian had truly weakened us. This "pure vampire Balance" shit had been driving me crazy, and I was pretty sure the Winx felt my burden too. But what could we do?

What could I do?

A sudden idea popped in my head as the next class bell rang. What if I _could_ do something. Maybe not for me, but for my friends, my team. My problems can't be solved any time soon, so why worry? I need my team. I need my friends. And their happiness will help us through this ongoing war.

As eager as I was to forget my own troubles, I knew they would still haunt me. But it's like Stella always says: One problem at a time. When the final bell rang, Tecna immediately left for the library. She told us that she needed to figure out this barrier solution once and for all. We needed the protection and studying wasn't going to help…in that respect anyway. Stella then announced that she desperately deserved a shopping break, and with a majestic wave trotted towards the bus for Magix. As she walked away, Bloom decided to go on a walk. She said that she wanted some time alone to think things over for a bit. Before any of us could protest, she was gone. Only us four remained until Griselda came by and demanded Flora's presence for her Charmix training. As she was dragged away, Layla swore under her breath.

"This is ridiculous!" she cried, "We are the Company of Light! How can we be so discouraged when nothing's been lost?"

"Firstly, because our blood's been harvested, and we know Cian's planning something big," Musa answered, "And secondly, these attacks drain our energy, thus draining our power. On top that, we're constantly fighting with the specialists!" I heard Musa's voice fill with frustration. "Every battle leads to a stupid argument! Then we try to focus on the war, and talk about Cian, which makes Scarlet uncomfortable." I lowered my head in guilt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"It's alright," I assured, "But you're right. Completely right. We've weakened as a team."

"Faragonda's classes aren't entirely helping either," Musa added, folding her arms in disgust, "I can't be thinking about my grades while my life is on the line!" Layla nodded in agreement. "I wish there was something we could do." For a moment, we were all silent, absorbing all Musa had to say about these past months. We were behind, and we needed to act fast in order to win.

"Maybe we can." Musa and Layla looked up at me, willing to listen to my thoughts. "We're looking at the big picture way too much. This talk about Cian and the war, it's literally driving us apart. We need to start smaller and…you know…solve the problems right in front of us."

"Easier said than done," Layla replied, "Where would we even start?"

"I really wanna help Tecna with this barrier thing. It seems to really be bothering her and it's separating her from us."

"Timmy can't be around to help since he and the specialists have their own training to do," Musa added. I watched as her eyes fell to the ground, slowly drifting into another thought. "I'm sorry. I just…haven't even spoken to Riven since the last fight."

"Why don't you call him?" I suggested, "Isn't that what you guys always tell me to do?" A small smile crept onto Musa's face. "And I've followed that advice, even when Layla or Stella take my phone and dial Matt's number for me." Layla giggled at the memory.

"I say go for it," Layla said." Musa unfolded her arms and completed her smile.

"Okay, I will." She waved goodbye and headed towards the front campus. I caught a glimpse of her pulling out her phone and punching in the number, but she was far out of earshot by the time she brought the phone to her ear.

"If you wanna help Tecna, maybe I can help Bloom," Layla proposed, "I can't lie and say that I haven't been worried about her, especially since she's not eating properly."

"Then get moving," I said, "Maybe all she really needs is someone to talk to; that someone not being Sky." Layla gave a tiny laugh before turning around and walking in the direction Bloom went. Before getting too far, she asked, "What happened that made you think about this?"

"After Faragonda's meeting, it occurred to me that so much has happened, we can't see straight." Layla nodded in agreement.

"When did you have time to think about it?" I grinned.

"In class, of course." This time, Layla cracked up. Her laughter filled the area as she continued on her way. I'm not gonna lie, her laugh already began to ease my concern for our weakened bond. It reminded me that there is hope. As I began making my way towards the library, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

"Hello?"

"_Good. You're still alive. I figured since you wouldn't call me again, I'd be the better man and call you._" My heart knocked against my chest. It was good to hear Matt's voice again.

"Sorry," I replied, "A lot's been on my mind lately."

"_Like what?"_

"Things I don't want to think about. I'm trying to keep them at bay by worrying about my team."

"_Why? Everything okay?"_

"Not really. I guess we're all just tired of these never-ending battles. I feel like our strength is slipping away."

"_Yours and mine? Nah. We had our talk at that party. We're good._" I rolled my eyes.

"No, not us, though I'm happy to hear that we're alright." I heard him chuckle on the other end. My stomach flipped for joy. "My bond with the Winx is weakening."

"_So what're you gonna do about it_?"

"By solving problems, one Winx at a time. I'm starting with Tecna and the case of the weak barrier." Matt laughed.

"_Sounds like you know what you're doing_."

"I sure don't feel like it."

"_Believe me, if you're a warrior from Inter-Realms, you've got things under control_." I was surprised by what he said. It sounded…very un-Matt-like to me. The only response I could think of was, "Thanks."

"_Let me know when you want a break. I'd love to see you_." My lips pinched together, trying to hide my smile.

"Okay. I'm sure I can pencil you in somewhere."

"_Hopefully soon, or else I'll hafta surprise you_."

"I'll see what I can do." I clicked the end button and briefly jumped with joy. For the first time, my boy problems were non-existent. And I liked that.

When I entered the library, it was surprisingly full of students. It took me a few wrong turns before finally finding Tecna, buried in a book larger than the table it rested on. Next to her were stacks of books that towered like skyscrapers. She didn't notice me until I called her name.

"What're you doing here?" She asked, rubbing her eyes after what I assumed was intense reading.

"I'm here to help." Tecna shook her head.

"This is something I have to do alone."

"Why? Because only you can work with techno spells?"

"Because I have to prove to myself that I can be of use to you guys" She sighed and rested her head on the book.

"I'm sorry, Tec," I said, "I didn't know you that you really felt that way about yourself."

"I don't want anyone to worry. We've got enough on our plate. Anyway, I should continue my research. Thanks for stopping by." As if we were in a chat room, she signed off, isolating herself once more in her book. I stood there a bit longer before leaving her.

I began to wander around the library. Tecna's stubbornness buzzed around my head like an obnoxious fly. I wished she would just let me help. I felt useless walking through the library with no goal. _So much for knowing what I'm doing_.

A girl using the search book stepped off the platform and headed towards the check-out desk. Not knowing what else to do, I approached the book and placed my hand over the cover.

"Improvement on barrier technology." A few books pulled themselves off the shelves and opened their pages to me. All were stories, designs, theories, and concepts for all types of barrier development. Yet none of them made sense to me. One by one, I waved my hand, sending the books to their respectful spots. Eventually, one book caught my eye. In its pages was an article about a barrier fusing nature and technology into one power source. Apparently it was considered one of the best barriers in the universe. I quickly scanned the article to find its location. To my surprise, it was in Inter-Realms.

"Too bad that didn't work either," I mumbled, still feeling a bit responsible for its downfall. As I continued skimming, it occurred to me that Tecna expressed an interest in this kind of combination technology. Maybe she could use this for our barrier! I snagged the book and headed to Tecna's table. Before she could refuse my help again, I showed her my discovery.

"I know this barrier broke through and the methods seems strange, but maybe strange is what we need! It's something Cian won't expect." As I continued, Tecna's eyes grew wise. She read and read, absorbing every word into her mind, like a computer saving data. When she finished, she asked, "How did you find this?" I gave her my answer. She suddenly shot up from her seat.

"I need to find Flora. She'll know more about the specific plants than me."

"But Griselda kidnapped her for Charmix training." I paused in thought for a moment. "If you'd like, I can see if she can leave early."

"If you can, that would be super helpful." Accepting the offer, I sprinted towards the academic buildings. I walked into every classroom until I heard Griselda's commands leaking through the walls. Poor Flora. Locked away for one-on-one training with the Vice-Headmistress. By the time I reached the door, Griselda shouted, "Once again, Miss. Flora." I busted in before she could bark another command. "Miss Scarlet! This is a private lesson."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Flora's needed immediately." Griselda glared at me with doubt in her eyes.

"Oh really? By whom?" I wasn't sure if I should've lied or told the truth. All I knew was that Tecna needed Flora to complete the barrier.

"There's a possible solution for improving the barrier by combining technology with nature. Flora's needed to provide assistance." Griselda thought for a minute before nodding her head.

"Very well." She rolled her wrist, symbolizing Flora's release. Flora's fairy form disappeared and she followed me to the library. I filled her in on what I found and Tecna's possible plans of enhancement. By the time I returned with Flora, Tecna's face lit up. She began giving out orders, typing away on her mini laptop her ideal images and showing them to Flora. After viewing a few samples, Flora rushed to one of Tecna's book towers and pulled out a plant book, running through the pages until she found what she was looking for. Seeing that there was nothing else for me to do, I left the library and headed outside.

It didn't take me long to find Layla and Bloom talking underneath a tree. I briefly hid myself, eager to hear what they were talking about. A huge gust of wind smacked my face, causing me to take a few steps back.

"_Leave them alone!_" cried the wind spirits, "_Let them have their peace_." I apologized and walked away. Never had I angered the spirits before. It felt weird. I gave them some time to cool down before creating a wind current to hover in. They would've lectured me otherwise. As I hovered over Alfea, I remembered my conversation with Matt. It was so peaceful, compared to our past exchanges. Maybe we were progressing along as a couple. Then again, we haven't had any proper date time really. We always get swept up into battle.

An idea popped again in my head.

There was a knock on Faragonda's door.

"Come in," she said. Griselda glided into the room, carefully shutting the door behind her. "My, that was quick. Is Flora doing alright?"

"She was doing fairly well until Scarlet interrupted the lesson. She said that there was a solution for the barrier. I assumed this was where Flora was sent to."

"A solution?" Faragonda repeated, "No one has told me of such a thing." Griselda's eyes thinned out as if realizing the truth.

"Oh that—. Wait until those girls are caught! I can't believe they lied _again_ just to be with those boys!"

"Hold on, Griselda," Faragonda replied, trying to calm Griselda down, "While normally I'd agree with you, I think this time is different." Griselda didn't quite understand. "They're at that point in their lives when they truly must know their deepest fears and their greatest weakness. Unlocking their charmix a second time is no easy task."

"The Charmix is the lock which opens a fairy's Enchantix," Griselda recited.

"Exactly. And this time, once unlocked, the power of the Charmix will never be sealed again. Their original fairy forms will permanently change, and for the better, I believe. The Winx must act quickly if they want to beat Cian. The pressure is on! And they sense it."

"So then who would know about the barrier solution?" Faragonda gave Griselda a confident smile.

"I would say by one of the top student of Alfea."

"Tecna, you really are a genius!" Flora chimed as Tecna's prototype functioned accordingly. Tecna wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Thanks, but we can't celebrate until the changes are made to Faragonda's barrier and then properly tested. And since it failed to protect Scarlet's school, there's a high percent chance that it'll also fail to protect Alfea."

"But your improvements seems to be working," Flora pointed out, observing her electro plant pumping energy into Tecna's barrier. Tecna shook her head and Flora left it at that. "What's the next step, then?" Tecna tweaked her work before answering,

"I would like Timmy to take a look at it. He can help me with the final test runs at Red Fountain. If I'm going to present this to Faragonda, it has to be perfect." She tapped a few buttons on her laptop. Her creation carefully folded itself into a small, portable cube. She picked it up and placed it in her pocket.

"Tecna, why is this so important to you?" Flora asked, watching Tecna heading towards the door. She paused in the doorway, slightly turning her head to face Flora.

"Because I have to prove to myself that I'm not a failure as a fairy. If my calculations aren't correct, it can lead us to our downfall." Flora was about to speak when Tecna left her alone.

"If only she understood," she mumbled to herself. Not wanting to let Tecna get too far ahead, Flora left to follow Tecna.

"What? No way!" I shouted, jumping out of the way of Matt's kick. "Are you serious?" I threw a few punches. He dodged them with ease.

"I'm quite serious, actually. I just hope he is." He took a step forward and gave me a series of moves to block and counter. I swept my legs under his feet, hoping o knock him down. He stepped back. "Make sure you always return to your starting stance. It gives you a better chance to refocus your moves." I nodded and brought my hands up to protect my face. I kept my feet shoulder-width apart, my right foot slightly in front. I continued to block.

"I never realized that Brandon would be ready to purpose to Stella. We're all nineteen, after all." I finally saw an opening and took it. I swiftly spun and punched Matt right in the chest. He coughed a bit and gave me a thumbs-up.

"Look at Nabu and Layla, and Sky and Bloom."

"Good point." I took a huge breath. "I think I need to take five." Matt nodded in agreement and rubbed where I hit. "Seems like you're outta practice." He sat down on the ground and patted the spot next to him.

"I know," I replied, accepting his offer, "Alfea is great for teaching magic and spells, but they don't teach us much about fighting. Not even basic hand-to-hand combat or defensive moves. It made me a bit sloppy."

"You should come here to practice. I'm sure you could arrange something with Saladin or Cordatorta. You're certainly strong enough to join one of the classes." I thought about it for a minute. It sounded very appealing. I could brush up on my skills, practice my sword fight and combat skills, work with other experienced students. Plus, I'd have a chance to be with Matt more. How could I refuse?

"I would like that very much," I said with a hint of envy in my voice, "But I have too much work for both Faragonda and Griffin already. As much as I would like to, I'd break down from all that work load." Matt shrugged his shoulders.

"If you say so." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "It's a waste that you can't practice what you learned at Inter-Realms." I brought my knees up to my chest and held them tightly. He was right. It was a waste, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.

The sound of footsteps reached my ears. I lifted my head. Tecna and Flora walked towards us at a fast pace. Tecna's expression seemed very serious, and very focused. "What're you two doing here?" I asked.

"We're here to talk to Timmy about the barrier improvements," Tecna answered, "Have you two seen him?" I shook my head, but Matt pointed to our left.

"He's finishing something in the tech room." Tecna gave him her thanks and quickly headed in that direction.

"Wait!" I shouted, breaking away from Matt's embrace, "Did you figure it out?" Tecna didn't stop to answer. Instead, Flora signaled us to follow her. She kindly filled us in on what she and Tecna created to help improve Faragonda's barrier.

"Sounds like she's on to something," Matt commented, "It'll keep the witches away and maybe even Cian." Flora gave him a grateful smile and nodded in agreement.

"I think that it'll work extremely well," she replied, "And if all goes according to plan, this barrier might be used on the other schools."

"Maybe even Magix as well," I added. I returned Flora's smile. "I'm glad I was able to help." Matt appeared confused by my comment. I explained to him the gate barrier at Inter-Realms having a nature-techno power to keep unwanted beings away. He nodded and gave me a sly smile. Then he brought his lips to my ear and whispered, "Told ya you could do it." My cheeks must've turned a light shade of red. They suddenly grew warm and my heart beat began to pick up the pace. Thankfully, Flora was kind enough to not turn around. But Matt's ice eyes remained on my face, chuckling to himself at the sight of my fluster.

Tecna gently opened the door to the tech room and spotted Timmy down at the other end. Like eager students on a field trip, we listened to her explanation. She pulled out a tiny cube and hooked it to her handheld laptop. Once plugged it, Tecna tapped a button and we watched the cube unfold into a circular, crytal ball shaped container with a static plant locked inside. She then demonstrated how the force field could expand and vanish, and pointed out her specific additions. My eyes briefly scanned Timmy's reaction. His expression was full of awe and shock. He constantly re-adjusted his glasses as if they were playing trick on him. Often enough, he'd bring his face close to Tecna's invention, observing it from all angles before lying back in his seat. From what I understood, he was impressed.

"Tecna," He said, completely mesmerized, "I think you've solved our problem." Tecna opened her mouth to protest, but the doors to the room sprung open. Brandon barged in, his hand clutching his phone for dear life.

"Timmy, we're needed in Magix. Now!" He glanced over and me, Flora, Tecna, and Matt. His eyes grew wide as if surprised to see us. "Girls! We need your help. Stella's in Magix and it's under attack!"

"Then we mustn't delay," Flora replied, "Let's get going." We were all leaving before I noticed Tecna hesitantly following.

"Tecna, I think you and Timmy should stay here," I suggested.

"But, Stella…she needs our help."

"You told us that you must perfect the shield. If you can complete it, imagine how many more people you can save?"

"I agree," Matt said, "Don't worry about Magix. We're on our way to sort it out." Tecna's hands shook for a moment, torn between what to do.

"Alright," she said. I placed my hands on her shoulders. "We're counting on you, Tec. And we believe in your creation. Perfect or not." I dropped my hands and sprinted towards the door before she could respond. Matt fell close behind me.

"I'm guessing it's that Cian guy again?" He shouted, making sure that Brondon could hear.

"Yep, but not him personally. It's those slimy bug-lookin' monsters from earlier."

"Silent-takers?" I asked. Brondon nodded. I glanced over at Flora and gave her a worried look. "A lot of innocent lives are in danger." Flora looked ahead. When we reach the door of their aircraft chamber, she asked, "Did you contact the rest of the team?" Brandon punched in a code. The doors quietly hissed as they pulled open.

"Sky, Riven, and Nabu are heading to Magix now, and said that they'll contact the rest of the girls along the way." He led us to one of the many red airships, up its stairs, and into the control room. Helia looked up from the captain's seat and said, "We're ready to go, Brandon." He then waved at me and Flora. "Glad you can be here, girls." Flora rushed to his side and quickly kissed him on his lips. I looked away and saw Matt settling into a co-pilot seat, flipping the switches and hitting the beeping buttons.

"Alright, we're assembled," Brandon announced, "Let's move!" Helia pressed the launch button, causing the ship to hover over the ground. I could sense Brandon's impatience. He kept on twirling his cell phone and shouting orders. "Now's not the time to be careful! Stella's out there alone!"

"Please, calm yourself down," Flora commanded, "We'll be of no use to her if we rush out of here and crash. Sky and them are on their way and I'm sure Bloom is rushing Musa and Layla over as we speak. Besides, Stella's a powerful fairy. She can take care of herself until help arrives." I heard Brandon swear under his breath while Helia thanked Flora for her help. I looked over Matt's shoulder to peer through the window. It didn't take long before the green blur of trees became the grey and colorful blur of roads and buildings.

My eyes grew wide in panic.

Splotches of red stained the roads as lifeless bodies laid out like rag dolls. I was grateful that we were moving fast enough to miss the blank stares of those who had no chance. Anger rose in my chest, making my fingers curl into my hands. They tightened and trembled. Matt struck his hand at one of my fists and forced my fingers to uncoil.

"You better calm yourself down," he whispered, "There'll be plenty of time to mourn the dead afterwards." My anger spread throughout my body, and got the better of me. I snatched my wrist away from his grasp and crossed my arms. There was too much for me to mourn already.

I looked over at Brandon to see how he was doing. He scanned the area below, frantically searching for his Solarian princess. Nothing came up on his radar, nor his vision.

"Good news," Helia announced, "Sky and them have arrived and already started evacuating the city."

"Any sign of the girls?" Flora asked. Helia tapped a few buttons and shook his head.

"They're probably flying," I said, "but you can only go so fast without a current." Flora's eyes briefly looked at the floor. I could see that she was trying to think of something. It didn't take her long to decide.

"Scarlet and I will fly from here to look for Stella. We know her favorite areas and are bound to find her there." Brandon began to protest, but we all ignored him.

"Sounds like a good plan," Helia replied, "I can let you off where the busses drop off the students." Flora kissed him on the cheek before heading to the drop-off room. I was about to follow when Matt's ice glare caught my attention.

"Be careful," he said. I nodded and closed the door to separate us.

_Please don't die_, I thought. Flora took my hand and gave me a warm smile.

"We're going to be okay." The drop-off doors began to open, allowing a huge gust of wind to fill the area. Together, Flora and I raised our hands and shouted, "Magic Winx!" The wind tugged us out of the ship and wrapped around us. I closed my eyes and felt my clothes disappearing and my fairy uniform taking shape on me. By the time my wings grew, I began to soar over Magix. I faintly head the door to the ship closing when I opened my eyes. Transformation complete. Flora's Charmix gem gleamed brightly and caught my eye. I hoped that I would get my Charmix soon. I shook my head.

"Which store would Stella be in?" I asked, trying to stay focus on the task at hand.

"It always depends on her mood," Flora replied, "If she's really upset, she'll give herself an entire make-over."

"So where would she go after a day of school work?" Before Flora could reply, a burst of wind brushed against my face.

"_She's in the boutique a few blocks from here_," the wind spirits whispered, "_She's in grave danger_." Panic filled inside my body and sharply turned to where the wind was guiding me.

"Scarlet!" Flora cried while having trouble with keeping my pace, "Where're you going?"

"The wind spirits know where Stella is! She's somewhere in this direction." Flora paused for a moment and looked below her. She then shot a look at me.

"I know which shop she's in." I wrapped my fingers through the air and created a current to push Flora in Stella's direction. It certainly was faster than regular flying, even with Flora's Charmix. It didn't take us long before a familiar shriek reached our ears. Stella was already in her fairy form, staff in hand, releasing her Solarian sun power.

"Ugh! Why do these hideous creatures have to come here when _I'm_ having a spa day?" A silent-taker snorted goo at her. She managed to dodge it. "EW! That's super gross!" Quickly, I formed an "L" shape with one hand and mimed the form of an archer. I gathered the threads with my fingers and shouted, "Stella! Move!" I released my wind arrows and struck the monster in its eye sockets. Suddenly, it stopped moving. Flora reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out some pollen. She gently blew it towards the creature's mouth. It made a gurgling sound before crumbling inwards, like a vacuum had turned on from inside of it.

"Stella," I said, landing by her side, "Are you alright?"

"I was until those things appeared," she replied. Flora joined us and added, "The Trix might be around. We should wait here until the rest of the Winx arrive." A horrid shrill stabbed our ears. A horde of silent-takers were making their way towards us. Attached to the mouths of the few in the front were limp bodies. They swung them around before releasing them like missiles and aimed them at us. I raised my hand and focused on making the wind to push them back. It slowed down their speed, and I carefully lowered them to the ground. Blood had flown all over the road, the smell creeping into my nose. I smacked my hand against my face.

"Let it go, Scar." I turned around and saw Matt, ready to fight. I caught a glimpse of Bradon's green sword and Helia's long black hair as they headed towards the crowd of beasts.

"What're you doing here?" I mumbled, feeling frustrated that he was giving me advice on my powers.

"We evacuated everyone and decided to lend you a hand. Clearly you need it." I shot him a glare. "You're no use to us if you're suffering." Before I could protest any further, I head a horrific cry. The huge crowd of Silent-takers were only a block away. Blood dripped from their pointy teeth, cause my own to ache and grow. I closed my eyes, wishing that Luna was here to help. Slowly, I backed away from the army of monsters. Matt grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close. His blue eyes numbing my pain.

"You said you wanted to help you team? Then do what you have to do." He pointed to the sky. It was clouded by the smokes of destruction the silent-takers were causing. "You'll be fine. We've got your back." I began to shake my head when his grip tightened. "That's an order." My body froze in shock. Never had he spoken like _that_ to me. Not only that, but he wanted me to _change_; to change into my vampire self. The one he despises because of… My worries began to take over, making me fall on my knees in defeat. No matter how hard I tried, they still beat me. I dropped my hand and let the change wash over me. The silver darkened into a dark blue, and the dark blue lightened into silver. My hair grew long and covered my face. I heard Matt draw his sword. "Now let's fight."

I rose to my feet and nodded, extending my hand outward, palm facing the monsters. My magic began to pour out of me; a navy liquid that swirled grew, and formed my sword. The scarlet gem was the last to appear. I looked at it, seeing my own reflection. My long hair. My silver eyes. I hated it.

"This is no time to daydream," Matt shouted, "To keep you focused, how about a challenge." He had my attention. "Whoever kills the most of these things gets a free date. Loser has to pay for whatever the winner wants." I flew high into the air and darted towards a silent-taker.

"Bring it!"

"She says to finish it, but how can I?" Tecna asked, burying her head into her hands, "They're risking their lives and I don't even know if this is gonna work!" Timmy stopped working and rested his hand on her arm.

"Think logically," he said with a smile, "Your calculation show that your improvements are guaranteed to improve the original barrier. You can never argue with numbers." Tecna sighed.

"Your right. I can't argue against the facts. But…it's not perfect. There's always that small chance of failure. I've been too worried about the girls that I can't focus on just logic to know we're safe." Tears began to roll down her cheeks. Tecna quickly wiped them away and took a breath.

"Your new barrier is almost ready," Timmy said, "All we need now is to test it out. The sooner we test it, the sooner we can use it." He withdrew his hand and began finalizing the experimental runs Tecna's model would go through.

Tecna watched Timmy, lost in thought about their history together. Her mind then thought about her time with Winx. How they taught her not everything is about logic and fact. Even though she was honored with being a Guardian Fairy just last summer, she felt that she had more growing to do. More emotions to feel. More failures to face. She then remembered what Scarlet had told her before she left: the Winx trust her. For four years, they've believed Tecna's facts to be correct, even when they were proved wrong. And now, as a vampire over-lord rises and threats her friends, they trust her still.

If they rest their lives in her hands, how can she not trust her work?

She got up from her seat. "Timmy, take care of the test runs. I've gotta head to Magix." Timmy looked up from his computer and stared at her for a moment. He then smiled.

"Go. I'll show this to Saladin and Cordatorta when it's complete." She blew him a kiss and sprinted out the doors. As she ran, she felt something appear on her chest. She paused to look down. A triangle pin with a bright green opal shape gem appeared.

"My…" Tecna muttered, carefully tracing her Charmix with her index finger. Suddenly, everything seemed clear to her. She raised her hand high and shouted, "Magic Winx!"

"Sixteen… Seventeen… Eighteen, woah!" A Silent-taker launched a big ball of goo at me. I quickly arched my back to dodge it. The creature shrieked in anger. I gathered my energy once more. A dark blue sphere bubbled in my hand, dripping as I shouted, "Night bomb!" I threw it in the monster's mouth, smacking its eye sockets with my sword at the same time. As it crumbled, I let out a satisfying sigh. "Nineteen."

Bloom screamed as another silent-taker charged towards her. She blindly aimed her spells at it, constantly missing with each launch. Sky was trying to get to her, but another monster got in his way. I flew to her aid.

"I can't do it," She mumbled in disbelief, dizzily looking at her hands, "I try to focus my power, but then I keep missing." Her fingers curled into her hands, I brought up my sword and shouted, "Night slash!" A dark, thick, curved line left my sword as I swung it down. I formed an "X" to hold the beast back.

"You can do it, Bloom," I cheered, "Just take a deep breath and focus." I saw a dash of green sprint by me. Layla rushed to Bloom's side.

"Scarlet's right. You just have to let your magic go." I managed to paralyze the beast. Quickly, I threw another Night Bomb into its mouth. Twenty.

"What if it backfires? What if that potion has damaged my dragon fire?" I heard pause. "What if I can't properly fight again? Even Tecna doubts that she got the entire potion out of me." Another silent-taker stepped up to the plate to challenge me. I readied my sword.

"Remember what we talked about?" Layla asked, "We're all here for each other. We'll watch each other's backs for any future tricks. That includes you too." I charged at it and jumped. My sword slashed through the eye sockets, casing the black blood to spray everywhere, including me. I covered my nose. It smelled like rotten flesh.

"But I don't want you girls to just protect me," Bloom pleaded, "You've got more important things to worry about." I summoned another Night Bomb when suddenly a red arrow flew into the creature's mouth.

"Hey!" I shouted, raising my Night Bomb and turning to Matt, "That was _my_ kill." Matt smiled one of his arrogant smiles.

"You snooze, you lose." I gritted my teeth and searched for another one.

"I've already told you," Layla assured, "our concern is for all of us to get through this in one piece." I easily found one and flew head on. It swung its mouth at me, throwing me towards Bloom and Layla. All of a sudden, a net of numbers stopped my tumble. I looked up and saw Tecna throwing her spells at the Silent-taker. One for Tecna.

"What brings you to the battlefield?" I asked, climbing down from her shield. She stood tall and pointed to a pin on her chest. "Is that—?" Tecna nodded.

"I've handed the barrier over to Timmy. I felt I was needed elsewhere."

"Felt?" I repeated. Tecna nodded.

"All this time, I've been punishing myself for not having enough accurate data to help out my team. But then I realized, 'My team trusts me'. My data being correct or incorrect was inadequate. As long as I can help you guys in some way, that's all that matters." I stabbed my sword into the ground, threw my arms around Tecna's neck, and gave her a big hug. Already, I could sense that she was relieved. I was so happy for that.

A few feet from us, the sound of silent-takers imploding broke our hug. Matt stood by looking unimpressed.

"You're falling behind, Scar. I'm already at 23." I repeated his number and growled with fury. I wasn't going to let him win. I gripped onto my sword and immediately flew towards another monster. I had to pick up the pace.

"Tecna!" I heard Layla say, "You got your Charmix." I saw Matt shooting arrows at their eye sockets. Before he could release the final blow, I summoned a large amount of Night Bombs and plopped them into their mouths. One by one they crumbled into the ground. I was catching up nicely.

"Yes. The barrier is going through some test run with Timmy." I laughed at Matt as he shook his fist at me. I noticed another Silent-taker behind Layla and charged at it. "Bloom," Tecna said, "I'm sorry for any doubt I've given you. I'm one hundred percent positive that you're clear of the Trix's potion. It's entirely out of your system." I flew a little faster, sword pointed at the creature. I stabbed it, piercing it through, and got showed again in its blood. This time, my gag reflexes kick in.

"I trust your magic," I heard Bloom reply. There was a pause before I sensed warm magic coming from behind me. I turned to see Bloom surround herself in a bright, orange glow, her hair crackled like fire.

"Bloom!" I shouted, "Over here!" Bloom's blue eyes peered through her glow and looked right at me. I pointed to the monster's mouth. "This is your kill." She raised her arms high, gathering all of the magic she could possess into one oval above her head. Without warning, she released her power. The heat burst forth in my direction. It burned my eyes and skin terribly. I placed my two fingers at my feet and raised them as I spun around, releasing my dark blue liquid to harden and surround me. It snapped onto me, molding to my body structure like armor. Bloom's magic suddenly didn't hurt anymore. I looked around me. None of the specialists nor winx had been effected. The monsters, on the other hand, disintegrated entirely. There was no trace of them left. Bloom's orange glow calmed down and disappeared. She fell to her knees and began to pant. We all called out to her. When we surrounded her, she rose up and smiled.

"I…can't believe I didn't pass out," she said, "I used all of my energy and…and focused on the negative energy I felt."

"Looks like somebody's got their Charmix," Musa commented, pointing to Bloom's chest. A heart-shape pin with an orange gem rested in the center of her blue top. Her smile grew even wider.

"Charmix pieces are like power-ups," Tecna explained as if we didn't know, "No wonder you haven't fainted."

"Way to go, Bloom!" Sky cheered, breaking through our circle to hug his fiancée.

"Uh, Scarlet, What's that?" Musa asked. I looked down at my hands. I was still wearing my vampire fairy form clothes, but it, along with my skin, were coated in a sparkling, dark blue color.

"I dunno," I answered, "It just…happened. Bloom's fire was, um, not agreeing with my current…form…" I lowered my hands and head. "I'm just a figure of walking negative energy."

"Got that right." I shuddered at the sound of Riven's voice. I heard Musa whispering sharply at him, but my guess is that he didn't care. Tecna held up her wrist to me and walked around.

"This is quite fascinating," she said, "If it's alright with you, I'd like to further my research on your powers, especially if—"

"Please don't finish that sentence," I pleaded. I felt everyone's eyes on me. I felt ashamed. Tecna nodded.  
"I'm merely referring to your fairy vampire abilities. You carry two powers that are, according to Griffin, connected." I sighed in relief. "Oh! I should call Timmy and see how my barrier did. I hope it's ready to show to the professors." Flora politely coughed and Tecna corrected herself, "Sorry, our barrier."

"We should all go and see it for ourselves," Flora added. We agreed. I tapped at me armor while walking, trying to figure out a way to get it off me.

"And your final score?" Matt asked admiring my new paint job. I took a moment to do a final countdown.

"Twenty-five or so. You?" Matt shrugged.

"Twenty-two. My team stole my kills towards the end, and then Bloom destroyed them." I gave him a gloating smile.

"You're buying me a lot of things on our next date."

"Yeah, yeah." He tapped my shoulder. "How're you gonna get out of that?"

"I dunno." I gracefully raised my hand and brought it down as if wiping the liquid away. To my and Matt's amazement, it did just that.

"Come on, love birds!" Sky called out, "The sooner the barrier is approved, the sooner we can use it!"

"I'll say," I replied, "The smell of silent-taker blood is giving me a headache."

Kayla kept her fingers laced together, twirling her thumbs as Damian finished his explanation.

"So there's no hope," her father said, "If he claims the Balance, all the realms as we know it will vanish." Damian nodded. He rubbed his hands nervously together.

"I just hope that if Scarlet's the Balance that she stays out of Cian's reach," Damian replied, "She should flee if she can."

"You know she wouldn't do that," Lolita pointed out, "She's our daughter, after all." Damian lowered his head. Kayla looked over at her parents. Her father was pacing while her mother's tears poured down her face.

"What's to become of us?" she sobbed, "When will he let us go." Kayla noticed Damian and Lolita exchange glances. Her throat tightened.

"He might let us go if Scarlet confronts him and exchanges herself for our freedom," Damian answered, "But I'm not sure how true to his word he'd be. He's a demon, and doesn't care for promises." They were silent, the sounds of the king's footsteps echoing in their chamber. Kayla took a deep breath.

"Do you believe that Scarlet can succeed?"

"Without a doubt," Lolita replied. Damian nodded in agreement. Kayla smiled at them and got on her feet.

"I think so too." She got closer to the four adults. "I purpose a proposition if we can manage to see Scarlet."

"Dear," her mother said weakly, "There's nothing to purpose. We're doomed." Kayla didn't budge.

"We might be, but Scarlet's not."

"Honey," Her father pleaded, "Listen to your mother. There's no hope for us. If Scarlet truly is the Balance, then…" He couldn't even finish his sentence.

"Be that as it may, I purpose we come up with a message to tell Scarlet if our time to meet ever comes."

"What kind of message?" Damian asked. Kayla straightened her back.

"I would like to inform her of her role should we not come out of this alive."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

No surprise, Tecna's barrier was a huge success! Faragonda immediately installed it into Alfea's protection program and worked with Tecna on creating two more for Red Fountain and Cloud tower. And if Saladin and Griffin liked the barrier enough, then the three schools will join together and create a fourth for Magix. Tecna was beaming with happiness.

"I think Giffin's gonna love it," Bloom said as we walked on the winding purple road to Cloud Tower. Tecna agreed.

"I wonder how she'll install it into the Tower?" she wondered, "After all, it is a living creature." Bloom wondered to herself.

"You know, it might not be a bad idea to have a Winx understand the structure of the Tower. It is a source of dark magic."

"Then can _I_ skip out on the lesson too?" Stella whined. Bloom shook her head.

"No, Stella. Scarlet needs all the support she can get." Stella folded her arms across her chest and began to pout. "Oh, come on. She needs it. What if she overloads again and transforms again?" I shuddered at the thought. I really didn't want to become that again.

"But there's already so much work to do for Faragonda, and Griselda, and Paladium, and—" She loudly groaned at the thought.

"We all have that work load," Layla pointed out. She paused for a moment before adding, "Ah, shit. We've got that project for Avalon due in a few days. I don't think I've started it yet."

"At the rate we're going, we're never gonna get anything done," Stella mumbled.

"We'll be fine," Musa said, "Remember how long it took us to work on that symbols project for Faragonda? But we got that in on time."

"I think the important thing is that we're not alone in this," I concluded, "All of this would be more daunting if I did it alone." Stella still pouted. We arrived at the long double doors and gently pushed them open enough for us to squeeze through. As usual, we headed towards Griffin's office to hear what our assigned work would be, and then split up into our groups. I was with Griffin 1, Tecna headed to the library, and the rest went off with Griffin 2. Luna tagged along to see my new spells. I couldn't help but notice that she's been a bit quiet since my last talk with Blanche. I hoped everything was alright.

"I'm impressed to hear how rapidly your night powers are growing," Griffin said after I finished the explanation, "Let me see how they work." I transformed into my vampire form and demonstrated my Night Bomb, Night Slash, and my new armor. I explained that the armor protected me from Bloom's Dragon fire. Griffin tapped my arm and then waved her hand over it. A green orb surrounded her gloved hand as she nodded to herself.

"It seems to me the armor will be useful to protect you from the sunlight," she concluded. "You're a warrior fairy, correct?" I nodded. "Have you been training with the specialists recently?" I nodded again and told her of my session with Matt. "I see." She lowered her hand and headed to her desk. Her quill flew into her hand and she began writing some notes. When she finished, she asked for me to do some exercises with my vampire powers. At that moment, Tecna knocked on the door and entered with a tall, scraggly girl with long green hair. She asked if she can observe my lesson so as to further investigate the origins of my double powers. Griffin didn't mind.

"Ah, Lucy," she said with a proud smile, "Scarlet, allow me to introduce my apprentice. Lucy. She's a senior, like you, and has been through the same battles as the Winx."

"She's Mirta's best friend," Tecna added.

"Nice to meet you," I said, "Thanks for your help." Lucy slightly lowered her head and got into position. As we battled, I noticed that new spells were creeping into my head, and none of them spells I've learned from my dad. Night Claw, Night Realm, Night portal, Night Fang, Nightmare! The list went on! Griffin eventually had to stop us. Dark energy was pulsing through me, leaking through my skin and surrounding my body. It was too much. Tecna rushed over and placed her palm on my forehead.

"Overflowing magic that spills and falls, come into my hand, command to my call," she chanted. The magic sucked out of me and was in the form of a dark blue mist. It drew towards Tecna's hand like a magnetic force. "Fascinating," she whispered, tapping the ball with her finger. I plopped into one of the seats of the classroom and took a breather. Griffin asked for Tecna and Lucy to allow some privacy, and then we could be dismissed.

"I'm a little concerned about your powers," Griffin said, looking through her notes from the lesson.

"What about them?" I asked. I didn't want to know.

"Your night power seems to be…well, overflowing. You're still repressing it." I shook my head.

"Recently, I've been transforming every day. Maybe there's a day when I don't transform, but that's rare now."

"I don't only mean physically repressing." She walked towards my table and placed down her notes. I tried to look them over, but her hands covered it. "I know accepting your true form is difficult, but you cannot keep rejecting it. You're the Balance, and it's time you acted like one. Your own magical balance is still tilted." I laced my hands together and kept my head down. My navy skirt sparkled in the dimly lit classroom. I sighed.

"What else can I do?" I asked, "I've been using dark magic—" Griffin raised her hand.

"You mustn't use it because you're forced to. You have to choose to use it. When you start doing that, your magical balance will begin to restore itself." I reluctantly nodded. She rested a finger under my chin and lifted my head to look at her candlelit eyes. "Let me assure you that if you don't, your wind power, your _fairy magic_, will disappear."

The Trix pushed open the heavy metal door, leading them to Cian's lab. Long clean tables displayed a variety of test tubes and beakers each filled with different substances. Cian was down at the far end of the room, examining test tubes each filled with a deep red liquid. When the Tirx's footsteps reached his ears, he smiled.

"How goes training?" He asked.

"Pretty well," Stormy answered with a stretch, "I can't wait to fight." Cian picked up a test tube and shook it a bit.

"That's encouraging to hear."

"Sir," Fury said, "did the Silent-takers bring back any more blood?" Cian placed the test tube back and faced his four witches.

"I did receive a lot of blood from the locals, but none that we needed. We're short one fairy."

"Flora," Stormy growled, "That goody-too-shoos thinks she's so powerful just because she believes in her friends and unlocked her stupid Charmix." She crossed her arms in anger.

"Is it already time for them to gain their Charmix?" Cian asked with a hint of wonder in his voice, "Hmm. If that's the case, we better pick up the pace." He pulled out an empty vile and passed it to Stormy. "We need Flora's blood in order to complete my plan. Any amount will do. Just make sure it's hers." Stormy lowered her head and accepted the bottle.

"If one fairy already has her Charmix," Icy said, thinking aloud, "Then the others might get theirs too." She looked over at her team. "They might over power us again."

"If only we had our Gloomix back," Darcy wondered, "It would match our power to theirs." Cian took in Darcy's words.

"You'll need more than just your Gloomix to match them," he replied.

"Then what do you purpose we do?" Fury asked.

"I purpose that you girls to learn from your enemy." He stepped away from his test tubes and led the girls to a cauldron. He waved his hand over it and showed the Trix past battles between them and the Winx. "See how they join together to beat you? They have a common cause that units them as one."

"So you're suggesting we…combine our powers?"

"Yes, Fury. That I do."

"And you're sure this will crush those annoying brats?" Icy asked.

"I can't guarantee it, but you'll have a higher chance of success if you do."

"We could really use those Gloomix," Stormy whispered, hoping that Cian wouldn't hear.

"It's worth a shot," Fury agreed. Icy nodded.

"Alright, grant us our Gloomix and we'll practice combining our powers." Cian smile grew wider, revealing his pearly white fangs.

"Excellent." He extended out his hand, causing a deep red smoke cloud to appear. As it grew bigger, four swirly pieces of jewelry formed, each a color matching their respective witch. He gently tossed it towards them. The pieces broke out of their red mist and floated towards their witch-master. One wrapped itself around Stromy's right arm, another on Darcy's left, and a third around Icy's neck. Fury's Gloomix was a headpiece. Its daunting green diamond rested in the center of her forehead, intertwining across it and wrapping itself around her head. A few pieces curved outward around her temples. She gently grazed her fingers over the jewel. She could feel its dark energy, and her body was absorbing it. Fury lowered herself onto the floor, leading the Trix into a formal bow.

"Thank you, master," she said, "We will not fail you."

"You haven't thus far, and I expect it to remain that way. Now practice before going out." They rose and left Cian alone in his lab. He glanced back into the cauldron and waved his hand again. The liquid rippled away the images of the Winx and reveals Scarlet's parents and the Royal family. He chuckles.

"You're going to have to fight hard to win back your family, Scarlet Avila, because I'm not sure if they'll all make it out alive."

_The smell of roses filled my nose. I looked around me. I was back home. Everything was decorated. Red and white roses surrounded me, draped on every furniture and upon every shelf. My mom wore her white dress while dad wore his sharp red suit. I walked towards the mirror to take a look at myself. _

_I'm ten. Wearing my red party dress and white stockings. A red rose carefully rested in my hair. _

"_You look adorable," my mom praised, kissing the top of my forehead. I looked at her dark, warm eyes and smiled a big smile, making her and my dad laugh. _

"_We'd better head to the castle, or we're gonna be late," My dad said, looking at his silver pocket watch, "Run upstairs and put on your shoes." _

"_Okay!" I sprinted up those familiar steps, winding up to my room. My precious room. My balcony door was wide open, letting in the warm breeze. How familiar it felt. And yet…something seemed different. I couldn't place my finger on it. Maybe the bed? Yes, it was! There've never been two beds in my room before. The wind blew against me and I turned to the balcony. Silhouetted against the sun was a girl about my age. She wore a white dress and red stockings. _

"_Do you need your shoes too?" I asked. The girl only smiled. She raised her arms outwards, letting the wind wrap around her. Slowly, she lifted herself up. I gasped at the sight. _

"_Why wear shoes when we can fly?" She turned her back to me and flew to the sun. I ran to the balcony edge and tried to reach out to her. I couldn't. _

"_Wait! Don't go! Come back! Please!"_

I snapped my eyes open. I saw Flora waving to me from her desk. Slowly, I lifted my head only to find a very frustrated professor Wizgiz glaring at me.

"I know you're incredibly busy, Scarlet, but that doesn't give you any excuse to fall asleep in my class," he scolded.

"I'm sorry," I replied. He nodded, satisfied with my apology and continued with the lecture. My eyes began to droop again and I smacked my head to keep me awake.

_This is impossible,_ I thought, _What's wrong with me?_

"_It's probably because you're not sleeping properly."_ My eyes blinked widely open.

_Blanche? _

"_The one and only!" _

_How're you able to talk to me when I'm awake? _

"_Because your low on energy, Scarlet. You're gonna pass out from magic exhaustion if you keep this up." _

_What else can I do? I'm attending two different schools for two different things. I can't help it if I'm not sleeping most nights. _

"_Then regain your Charmix." _

_Huh? _

"_I mean, if you obtain your Charmix, you won't have to work so hard."_ I laughed out loud, making everyone, including Wizgiz, stare in my direction. I placed my hand over my mouth and apologized again.

_It's easier said than done_, I told Blanche. I glanced over at my friends, each of them giving me concerned looks. When Musa caught my eye, I remembered something. _Blanche! Did you find Musa's mother yet? _

"_Not yet. She's already passed on. Once you pass, it's difficult to get you back in between the world of the living and the dead." _

_There has to be a way. Don't spirits look after their loved ones? _

"_They do…"_ I heard her sigh. _"I'll keep looking. Oh, Celia and Lucentia are helping too. They might have something." _

_Lucentia, yes. Celia…_ I heard Blanche laugh.

"_Alright. I'll do my best to find her in time." _

_In time? In time for—_ The bell rang, totally taking me by surprise. A second wind of energy pulsed through my body, ending my connection with Blanche. I'm pretty sure the Winx noticed I was talking to her because Tecna ran up to me, laptop in hand, and asked, "That was another Blanche connection, correct?"

"Yes," I said with a reluctant sigh, "And we talked about how I'm not getting the proper rest I need because of all of this work!" I let out a huge grown of frustration. Flora placed a hand on my shoulder, her green eyes flashing with worry.

"Are my potions not working?" She asked.

"No, no, not at all," I replied, "It's all me." I looked around the classroom to make sure no one was around. Once the cost was clear, I explained to them what Grififn had told me last night. "According to Blanche, I need my Charmix to keep my energy up."

"In other words," Tecna said, "Your Charmix is the only way for you to keep your magical balance intact." I paused to understand Tecna's meaning. When I gave her a conformational nod, she added it to her computer. "Anything else?" she asked.

"Yeah, we had this conversation when I was awake." Every looked surprised.

"I thought you could only speak to Blanche when you're unconscious," Bloom replied.

"Apparently when I woke up, my mind was still in that…I dunno, unconscious state? Anyway, she managed to talk to me."

"So what happened when you were asleep?" Tecna asked. I closed my eyes, trying to remember. The only thing I could recover was my mom in her white dress and everything smelled of roses. I explained that to Tecna.

"You know, Scarlet, tomorrow _is_ the Day of the Rose," Stella pointed out, "It's very possible that you're just thinking about that." I gave her a blank look.

"It's tomorrow?" I asked. Everyone nodded. I slumped back into my seat. Now I understood what Blanche meant. She was going to try to find Musa's mother by _tomorrow_. The holiday of mothers. I quickly looked over at Musa. She had her hand on her shoulder and was looking away from us.

"Some of us are leaving school tomorrow just for that holiday," Stella said, "I'm going to spend it at the Solarian Spa! My mom's treat, of course." She giggled. "A day without any school work. No classes. And no Cloud Tower trips." She clapped for joy. "I should go pack." Before any of us could stop her, she ran out of the classroom. To our surprise, she walked back in. Griselda made her walk backwards.

"I see you're eager to start your holiday," she said, "instead of trying to regain your Charmix." Stella weakly smiled, holding her hands up as if trying to calm her down. Griselda didn't bother. She looked over at us. "Miss Tecna and Miss Bloom, you are now required to join Miss Flora in her Charmix training. Follow me, please." The two of them looked at one another briefly and headed towards the door. Griselda examined each of us before saying, "You four better hurry up, or you won't be able to save Magix." She left us with that thought.

"We're trying," I quietly said, a heavy sigh passing through my lungs.

"Well, I don't know about you girls," Stella said while stretching, "but I've got important packing to do."

"Wait," Layla called out, "You can't leave yet. While we've got the time, we should practice what Ms. Griffin taught us to Scarlet." She gave me a smile. "We may not have our Charmix yet, but we can strengthen our dark spells."

"That sounds like a great idea," Musa voiced. She still seemed bummed about the Day of the Rose. I rose out of my chair and took their hands into mine.

"We could even make a 4-way convergence that can be just as powerful as a charmix spell. We've certainly got the time while the other three are gone."

"Maybe you three do, but _I_ don't," Stella chimed, "I really must get to my packing." Layla let go of our hands and walked over to Stella.

"Come on, Stella, how often can we four do something just us? And I'm sure Bloom and the others would be happy to see what we could do."

"Layla dear, you must understand, I just don't _do_ dark magic. It's not good my fairy glow."

"You've been practicing for almost two trimesters now," Layla mentioned, "Your fairy glow is probably tainted by now anyway."

"I only do what is needed in the classroom," Stella replied, "Otherwise I avoid all dark magic entirely. I mean, have you seen those witches' sense of style? I wouldn't be surprised if black magic has driven them in that direction."

"Isn't protecting Magix and helping Scarlet a little more important than worrying about your fashion sense?"

"I _do_ want to help, but I draw the line at dark magic. It drives me crazy! I don't sleep anymore, I rarely get to do my huge shopping sprees, I never have time to myself, and I don't have any time to spend with my Brandon!" I pinched my lips together and carefully lowered my head. I wasn't sure if any of the other Winx knew about Brandon's intentions.

"Brandon's busy helping us," Layla said, "He's just as busy as you are. Besides, we have all those parties on your terms. You've got plenty of time." Stella folded her arms across her chest and glared at Layla.

"You may be okay with seeing Nabu only when we fight, but I like to see my boyfriend all the time. Now if you don't mind." Stella tossed her long blonde hair in our direction before leaving us alone in the classroom.

"That didn't go very well," Musa said after a few moments of silence, "We can still practice together. Just us three." She looked at me and shifted her eyes towards Layla as if trying to tell me something.

"I'm cool with just us three practicing," I assured, looking for another signal from Musa. She nodded her approval, so I continued, "It's alright if Stella doesn't want to do this. I forced her in the first place. She has a right to not do it if she doesn't want to."

"If you're okay with it, Scarlet, then so am I," Layla replied. She began pushing some of the desks around, making more room for us to practice. Musa and I helped until we had a large, clear circle. They demonstrated some of the spells and exercises Griffin had taught them. They were on hundred percent Cloud Tower spells. Musa explained that though my dark spells are powerful, they are connected to my Vampire ability. In order to add more power to it, they needed to refocus on solely witch spells. "It's a third type of spell to add to your Vampire ones," she added, "This third type will give all of us that extra boost to fight against Cian. It's the only type he himself doesn't have."

"And it'll be good to use the Trix's magic against them," Layla mentioned, "Three types of magic smacking those four at once might be a key in weakening them."

"Back in the days of Darkar, we tried to use dark magic, but in the end it failed," Musa explained, "But now—" She released a dark purple-red glow in her hand. "—we can actually do it."

"And not fight one another. Well, almost." Layla looked back at the door where Stella left. "Please don't take what Stella says to heart, Scarlet. She really is eager to help. I think maybe she's just breaking down from all the stress."

"I understand," I said, "Maybe I should go talk to her and tell her how much I appreciate her help. Stella seems like the kind of girl that needs that reminder."

"Not a bad idea," Musa replied, and Layla agreed. I left them in the classroom and headed to Stella's room. Along the way, I found Luna. She asked how classes were and I mentioned my conversation with Blanche.

"I don't like her," she said when I finished telling her the story, "She's way too secretive."

"But I need her help. She's the only one who seems to know about my vampire skills." Luna was silent for a bit before asking, "Has Tecna found anything on her yet? Who she was, where she's from?" I shook my head.

"All we know is that she was intended to be a student at Inter-Realms. That's it." Luna crossed her arms and sat on my shoulder, humming to herself while lost in thought. "Is there any other reason you don't like her?" She looked over at me, her dark eyes kept reminding me of my mom.

"Well, there is another reason…you see—"

"I'm SO done with this!" Luna and I paused in front of the door before I carefully opened it. I called out Stella's name, but she wasn't around. Instead, she was in her private bedroom. As I got closer, I heard more of her conversation. "I hate going to Cloud Tower every night. It's ruining everything… I know it's helpful to the girls, but there's only so much I can offer… Well, of course I'm loving and kind enough to help. Hold on, Brandon. Amore, can you pass me that top… Thanks… Brandon, I just can't take it anymore. I love Scarlet, but Cloud Tower is her thing, and her thing alone. I don't see why _I_ have to suddenly stop everything just to help her out… That's my point! I don't mind fighting with her to protect Magix. I just don't need to be a part of her vampire problem."

I closed the door to our room. I couldn't hear anymore. I slid down onto the floor and placed my hands over my face.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," Luna said. I shook my head.

"She's right. I did ask for everyone's help." I gave myself a minute to cry a bit before adding, "This vampire thing isn't their problem. It's mine. I can't have them using dark magic for my sake."

"But you need their help," Luna replied, "Didn't you hear what Musa and Layla said? They can provide a third type of spell." I got up and headed to Musa and Layla. I needed to make them stop before further damaging their energy. When I got closer, I heard Layla say, "These battles don't seem to end, do they."

"Nope," Musa replied, "They keep coming and coming. I won't be surprised if another strikes today. It's getting so frequent."

"Then infrequent. It's killing us." There was a pause before Layla added, "I think Scarlet's right. These battles are weakening us. But…I really can't see us getting better, even with the help of the Charmix. We're so behind and the attacks are getting wilder. Who knows when Cian will just make the final call and destroy us all?"

"We've gotta have faith," Musa suggested, "Faith that when we're united, we can defeat him."

"I don't know, Musa. I just don't know." I stood with my back to the wall and continued to listen. They were losing faith. A long war that's been tedious and tiring is working to Cian's advantage. I wanted to do something, but what? Solve the problems I could solve, but how? I couldn't face Stella after what she said, and I can't bear to see Layla act chipper and hopeful when I know she's not. What does Musa think? What does everyone else think?

Am I really just a nuisance?

The Trix appear just outside of Alfea College. Darcy placed her gem-bearing hand, feeling the shock of a barrier. She closed her eyes to see if there was a way in, but she couldn't find any.

"That explains why we couldn't transport ourselves inside," Darcy concluded. She removed her hand and gently shook it.

"So what, we just wait out here until a Winx comes by?" Stormy asked. Frustration creaked through her voice.

"Patience, my sisters," Fury replied, "If there's one thing we can do, it's to bring the girls to us."

"How?"

"Why not attack Red Fountain again," Darcy suggested, "I just love watching boys suffer."

"Or Cloud tower," Stormy added, "How I wish we could rule that school once more."

"Me too," Icy agreed, "But this barrier thing is a problem. We need to make sure it's Alfea only. We know these three well enough to be linked in protecting one another." She turned to Darcy, who gave a nod and brought her fingers to her lips. She muttered something and split herself in threes. One by one, the Darcy-decoys flew to their respective schools, testing the area to see if it was clear. When they returned and fused themselves with the original Darcy, she growled.

"They all have it. It's impossible to get in." Fury approached the barrier and placed her hand on it. The electrocution shot through her, but she didn't flinch.

"There must be something we can use." She removed her hand and faced Icy. "Where's another place that the Winx hold dear." Icy place a finger on her chin, lost in thought until a chilling smile grew across her face.

"I think I remember one."

I sat outside with Luna in silence. We just didn't have anything else to say. I had decided to not use black magic for a while to bring comfort to Stella and my team. I figured that using dark magic with dark magic wouldn't bring anything but double the disaster. Luna disagreed, as usual, but didn't fight me on it. We kept to ourselves until Luna jumped off my shoulder. She remained perfectly still as her wings fluttered with a burst of energy.

"Luna?" I asked. She didn't turn around immediately. When she did she said, "We have to find the others." Quickly, she flew back into Alfea. I chased after her, constantly asking what was wrong. She wouldn't answer me. She didn't say anything until we saw the pixies playing with some of the Magix animals in the hallways.

"Girls!" Luna shouted, "We've gotta go. Pixi village—"

"—is under attack!" Chatta finished, suddenly sensing what I assumed Luna sensed. One by one, the others felt the same vibe and huddled together.

"We better hurry back," Lockette replied.

"We can't leave without Amore," declared Digit, scanning the group to see if anyone's missing.

"She's with Stella in her room. I can go get her and inform them both." Luna turned to me. "Scarlet, you've gotta gather the rest of Winx. I'm pretty sure we won't be able to do this alone."

"Of course." I immediately started running back towards the classroom where Layla and Musa were. I blocked out any conversation they were having before entering. I told them about the attack.

"We can't let the pixies go alone," Musa said with concern, "Whatever's there is gonna hurt them."

"I know," I replied, "But we need the others. Their Charmix will give us the strength we need." Layla was lost in thought before coming up with a plan.

"I'll go with the pixies," she suggested, "I agree that someone has to go with them."

"Fine. Then Musa and I will get the others as quickly as we can." Without another word, Musa and I ran to Griselda's classroom. I felt that Griselda would be very suspicious of me, especially since I interrupted her class yesterday as well. Even if it was for a good cause, I'm sure she's not terribly pleased with it. Once again, I barged in. Before Griselda could say anything, Musa shouted, "Pixi village is under attack!" Griselda's eyes grew wide in shock.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course we're sure," I said in a hurry, "The Pixies are heading over now with Layla and possibly Stella."

"We better go, girls," Bloom commanded. Musa and I transformed ourselves and we flew outside. I created my wind current and we flew as fast as we could. We spotted Layla, Stella, and the pixies along the way and they joined us on the ride. Fortunately, it didn't take us long to get there. Dark magic filled the area, and I felt it in my bones. It was much stronger, stronger than it's ever been. I slowed down the current and we carefully lowered ourselves to the ground. We slowly approached the village. No one was there. No Silent-takers could be seen.

"I can sense something," I whispered. I rubbed my arms, feeling the dark magic prick my skin.

"This seems…familiar," said Bloom while looking around. The other Winx nodded. Flora took a step in front of us and examined the village. She placed out her hand and closed her eyes. A soft pink glow appeared around her hand for the briefest of moments. After a moment, the glow vanished.

"No one's here," she stated.

"But I sense them," Luna replied, frantically looking around. She led the other pixies into the village. Each one walked into a different pixi house, shouting out a variety of names. Their voices shook with fear.

"This is terribly most inconvenient," Tune announced, "If only they left us a clue, or something." An ice blue bolt zapped the pixies, freezing them individually in their own ice crystals. From behind the trees, the Trix floated through, smiling proudly at their catch.

"We were so heart broken by their cries that we decided to reunite them with their village," said Icy in a mocking town. She cackled a laugh when Fury brought out an ice box, carefully opening the lid. Each member of pixi village was frozen like little dolls.

"This will certainly be a good gift for our Master," Fury replied. Her green eyes glanced over at us. Without a care, she tossed the box over her shoulder. I tried to summon my wind magic to break the fall, but I was seconds too late. The box fell, cracking slightly around the corners.

"As much as we want to fight, we've got our usual mission to perform first," Fury informed us with a wicked grin across her face. I glared at her, noticing something new on her forehead. It was like a headband of some sort. My eyes scanned over the other three and they two had a similar accessory. I heard some of the Winx gasp. Fury must've heard it, for her eyes grew wide with joy.

"What's the matter, little fairies? Intimidated by our Gloomix?" She placed her fingers on her gem, releasing a huge wave of dark magic. My mind began to crackle and shake, bringing me to my knees. Soon my whole body shook.

"Firewall!" I heard Tecna shout. A huge, green pixilated flame rose in front of us, blocking out Fury's attack. We quickly got back on our feet, the flames slowly going down.

"You're not the only one who gained power-ups," Bloom announced. She raised her hand in the air, an orange glow swirling to life. Bloom launched the ball over to the Trix, but Icy caught it, freezing it in place before throwing it back to her. Layla used her morphing magic to create a bouncy shield, tossing it back over to the Trix.

"We're not here to play games," Stormy shouted with rage, breaking the orb with a lighting strike. "We're here for one purpose."

"To painfully torture you until you're begging for death," Darcy revealed, raising her fist and showing us her gleaming purple gem.

"Ick," replied Stella, resting a hand on her hip, "Seriously? You guys have been trying to kill us since freshman year. None of this is news to us." Darcy gritted her teeth and flattened her hand, palm facing us. "Shadow Ray!" Dark, snake-like forms rose behind her and flew towards us. I raised one arm up and left the other one down, moving them in opposite direction to form a large circle. The wind scooped into my hand and I brought it to the middle.

"Wind reflection!" I pushed the circle outward, hoping to push the forms back. The wind briefly held them in position before the forms moved through, stabbing right through me. Dark magic surged through my body, pricking every joint in my body. I fell to my knees, panting, already losing my strength to fight. Darcy admired her gem with a sigh.

"Man, these things really can smash a fairy. My spells seem to improve drastically."

"You're not the only ones with improvement!" Flora shouted. She took Bloom and Tecna's hand as they created a convergence spell. From their hand, a spiral of green, pink, and orange flew towards the Trix. Thankfully, it knocked them back a bit. Swiftly, Bloom led Flora and Tecna into the fight with the Trix. Stella tried to follow, but her attacks didn't even seem to catch the Trix's attention. They were too busy with the three Winx with their Charmix.

A few hands touched my shoulder and chanted a spell. My dark energy left my body and into the hands of Layla and Musa. I nodded as a thank you and got back on my feet.

"It looks like our abilities won't work," I said, watching Stella struggle. "Maybe we four must combine our powers into one. That seemed to work for Bloom and them."

"In any case, we've gotta help Stella," replied Musa, pointing at her as she fell to the ground. We flew to her aid. I told her about our convergence plan and she joined in. Her Solarian ring was summoned and her staff appeared once more. We tried creating a disco bomb, succeeding in its creation, but after releasing it onto the Trix, it only damaged Fury. I felt everyone's disappointment.

"One's better than none," I said, trying to cheer them up, "Bloom, Flora, and Tecna are outnumbered by one."

"If we can keep her busy, they'll have a fighting chance," Layla concluded. Stella spun her staff around and prepared herself for Fury's attack. She placed her hand on her gem and then extended it towards us. "Fury cycle!" She shouted. A dark green wave washed over us, shooting us back, each slamming our back into a tree. Sharp pains spread across my back. Just moving forward made the pain worse. I looked over at Fury, watching her ignore us and fight the other three.

"Great," Layla grunted. She pushed herself forward, wincing at her own agony. "Now we're not even the focus anymore." I took a deep breath and worked through the pain to get on my feet again. The others did their best to follow, watching the battle that we couldn't be a part of. After a while, Layla gasped. "They're after Flora! She's the only Winx left without her blood being taken."

"Let's at least try to protect her," I suggested, "We may not be able to fight, but we can guard." It hurt to move my wings, but I did anyway. It felt as if my wings were breaking by the weight of my body. I tried to bring the wind beneath me to provide a form of support, but I couldn't. I had to conserve my energy. When we re-joined the group, Layla told them of her discovery.

"At this point, it doesn't matter," Flora declared, "They have all of our samples and the pixies need us."

"They're still going to try and kill us," Tecna replied, "It's certainly worth protecting you to prolong whatever else they're planning." She and Bloom created a shield to surround us while the rest of us surrounded Flora. She dug into her bag and blew something on us. Suddenly, my aches and pains vanished and my strength returned. I opened my hand to pour out some silver magic. Quickly it formed into my trusty sword.

"I may not be able to magically get to them, but I can try with physical force." The Trix placed their hands in the center and muttered something. None of us heard it, but a violent attack shot at us, breaking through the shield and knocking us down.

"Wind Binding!" I shouted, frantically wrapping my fingers around the wind threads and puling to break our fall. Our speed slowed down as a gently breeze cushioned our fall. The Trix threw another attack, smacking us harder into the ground.

"I can't believe these are actually working!" Stormy cheered, "Darkar clearly didn't give us enough power last time." She threw a lightning bolt on us. Our screams filled the forest as Fury laughed with joy.

"I'm enjoying this immensely," she said, "Now, to get what we came here for." I looked up and saw the four witches summoning their creepy daggers. With what little strength I had, I pulled myself up, sword in hand, and stood in front of Flora. "Asking for another beating?" Fury asked. My grip on my sword tightened.

"I can still kick your asses." Accepting my challenge, the Trix lunged towards me. I blocked each blow, transforming each defense move into an offense move. They each had widened their eyes, surprised by my moves. The sound of movement came from behind me as I heard Bloom say, "I think she's got the right idea." I sensed the girls summoning a few weapons and joining my side. Flora also joined, but stayed behind with Layla.

"My weapons can't break," she whispered to us, "I'll be the last line of defense." An orange sword flew towards Icy while another red sword went after Darcy. Our attack was strong, and finally were causing some damage. Fury was my witch and I did my best to keep her attention on me.

"You really think that you can beat me with your sword?" She asked. Her dagger was poised, ready to strike. "I'm sure Cian would love to have more of your blood. That little vile from earlier isn't quite enough." Her smile turned into a horrid grin.

"You can try, bitch, but I've got more important things to fight for than my blood." I lunged forward and sliced her side. Her hand smacked towards it, covering her hand in blood, and she flew to me. Her hand smacked me in the nose, and her blood's scent drove me crazy. I stumbled back, feeling myself transform.

"No!" I shouted, wiping the blood away as best as I could. My name was called out by my friends, but the Trix kept them busy.

"Transform!" Layla shouted, "Your vampire form is already pulling through." I shook my head.

"No! No dark magic. Not today." I gagged. My body was rejecting my fairy form. I had to try. For my friends, who are forced into this madness. "This is my problem, and no one…else's. I won't…I won't make you suffer by forcing black magic on you!" I took my sword and swung at Fury again. I fell back into the ground, the smell of the soil easing my pain. The sound of wings fluttered towards me.

"You're here for me, correct? Then come and fight." The sound of blades clashing echoed in my ears as I lifted my face. Flora and Layla were fighting Fury. I managed to get myself on my knees, scooping up the soil and pressing it into my nose. Everyone seemed distracted.

Now seemed like a good time to act.

I quietly tip-toed towards Icy's frozen box. I wasn't sure how to melt everyone, but at least I could get it away from the Trix. Carefully I walked, planning each step as I moved forward. A scream pierced my ears. I turned my head to see Flora had been cut. Fury shouted another spell and Flora's screams became wilder. The Winx tried to form together, but one by one they were held down. Everyone's screams matched Flora, and soon quieted down. Only Layla stood strong, her weapons constantly changing shape. Icy froze them and then froze her.

"Looks like the rebel's left," she commented as she landed on the ground. The other three followed. Layla struggled, but couldn't budge. Fury grabbed Layla's cheeks and looked deeply into her eyes.

"It seems the Princess of Andros has lost faith in her team." They all roared with laughter. Fury took a few breaths to calm down. "Well, I'll give you credit for admitting your own weakness. With us four this strong, there's no way you can win." She then pointed to the direction of Alfea. "You may be able to keep us out for now, but we'll find a way in. We always do." She brought her face closer to Layla's. "Because everyone fears us," She tapped her gem. "and that's our ticket in." Quickly, I picked up the box, dropped the soil, and summoned my sword to me. I stepped out from my hiding spot and pointed at them.

"There's always hope when one can still fight." The Trix looked back at me and shrugged.

"There isn't anything else you can do," Icy said. She snapped her fingers. The box began to shake, slipping out of my grip and into Icy's possession. "All I have to do is shatter this, and your pixies will be completely obliterated."

"I'll get them back before you can," I threatened. Icy laughed her chilling laugh.

"You want to take that risk?"

"Yes!" I brought my sword closer to me. "Because no one should mess with a fairy's pixi." I jumped in the air and drew the wind around me. A huge wind ball surrounded me. Then, in one quick motion, I began to flap my wings, transforming it into an ultra fast current, and shot myself towards the box. I cut Icy's arm and held the box close to my chest. Icy swore and froze her wound.

"You're going to regret that," she said. I gave her a confident smile.

"I won't. I never regret smacking you down." Around me, I heard the groaning of the other Winx. One by one they weakly stood up, weapons re-summoned, and ready.

"There's always hope when one can still fight," Layla repeated. She looked at her hands and smacked them on the ice. "Ancient ice or Gloomix ancient ice, ice is still ice." Her morphic pink liquid oozed out of her hand, slowly covering it. Steam began to rise off it as it wrapped entirely around it. Cracking echoed in the forest. Layla raised her hand, rolled it into a fist, and she smacked down, breaking her prison, and freeing herself.

Suddenly, yet briefly, a bright light glowed from within her. It vanished within moments and Layla was left with her Charmix. A pink opal shaped gem rested upon a pin that bordered it, curling into a spiral. Another mirroring set of spirals swirled on top, placed neatly onto her left shoulder. Her pink sash bag hung comfortably on her right side of her hip, wrapped in green embroidery, matching her Winx color. She smiled confidently, enjoying the Trix eyes fill with caution.

"Now we're evenly matched," she said, flying high into the air. "Four Charmix against Four Gloomix."

"You still can't beat us," Darcy warned, "Our powers are stronger than last time."

"And you can't beat us!" I flew with the rest of the Winx, the box under my arm, and joined Layla. Musa and I held hands while the four with their Charmix held theirs outward. "I think a dark Charmix will be appropriate," Layla suggested.

"Agreed," Tecna replied, "We'll certainly have a high percentage rate of overpowering them."

"We'll join as well," Musa declared. She gave me and Stella a smile, "We three have to work extra hard to keep up with them." I looked over at Stella, remembering what I overheard. I shook my head.

"Stella doesn't have to be a part of this," I said, "Dark magic doesn't suit her well. I…I never want her to feel pressured into anything." The Trix created some diamond formation and their wicked magic began to stir and rise. I finally let myself transform into my vampire form and let my magic blend in with Musa's. At once, well all unleashed our combined magic. A bright light of colors mashed against the dark rays of the Trix. It was on. We pushed our magic outwards, but without Stella, the Trix were winning.

"We've gotta keep trying!" Bloom grunted, "We can't give up now!" My eyes slowly moved towards Stella.

"I'm sorry, Stella," I said, "if I even made you do something. I really…really do appreciate your help." I took a deep breath and forced the magic out of me. We slowly began to overpower the Trix, but they pushed back again.

A hand touched my shoulder and I heard a spell creep into my mind. I closed my eyes, preparing to give all that I got.

"Moonlight Sonic Blast!" Our convergence pushed over the Trix burning them with our spell. They cried instantly vanished when they transported themselves away.

We seven fell to the ground and took a moment to catch our breath.

"I'm the one who should be sorry." Stella wrapped her arms around my neck. "I know I complain a lot, and demand constant vacations and shopping trips, but I do love helping my friends." She pulled back. "Even if they aren't entirely boy problems."

"Thanks Stella." I saw another brief flash of light in front of me and looked down. A mirror-shaped pin rested on Stella's left shoulder. I smiled. "Thank you for accepting using black magic." She flipped her hair and sighed.

"Moonlight. How exotic!"

"I'm thrilled you got your Charmix, Stella, but we must hurry." Flora kept her cut covered on her arm. "I need to go to the lake."

"The lake's water might be able to break Icy's magic," Tecna added. Without delay, we flew to the lake. Flora thoroughly washed out her wound as I helped the others wash away the ice from all the pixies. Luna coughed a bit and shivered like crazy. I held her close. The other pixies had similar symptoms.

"We should hurry back. They might need medicine." I stroked Luna's hair and tried to warm her up.

"I'll guide the pixies back to Pixi village," Ninfea said, "I'll brew some tea from the tree of life for them." She sneezed in between a few sentences, but the pixies understood her. As the floated away, Tecna asked, "While we're here, Scarlet, can you summon Blanche for us?" Panic struck me. I quickly glanced at Musa before asking why. "Maybe she can give me some straight answers about your skills that I can't get data on. Plus, we might discover why she's linked to you?" Musa began to look uncomfortable.

"How about another time," I suggested, "Let's take care of the pixies first."

"Yeah," Flora agreed, "I'm worried about Chatta." Tecna shrugged.

"I understand. I know that Digit will be fine. She's also as curious as I am." She giggled to herself and we flew towards Pixi village. I looked back at Musa.

_Not yet. I can't let Musa see Blanche until her mother is standing by_.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Let it Go

Faragonda ordered Luna and the Pixies to spend the following day in bed. Icy's ice left them with a terrible cold that not even the antidote Ninfea made could cure them immediately. As a result, Faragonda demanded that they spend the Day of the Rose resting in bed. The pixies weren't too pleased with that. Then Faragonda made another decision.

"Due to Cian's threats, I cannot allow you girls to go home." My fellow Winx groaned, especially Stella. I thought her face turned a light shade of red in frustration.

"Why?" She asked through her teeth. Faragonda's eyes focused on Stella, her glare stern.

"Because we need the Company of Light to stay together to protect the Balance. Cian will surely attack if four or five of you are gone." I hated that she was talking about me as if I was an object, but I kept quiet. I knew her intentions were good. "But since it is a holiday, I will give you girls the day off." We sighed in relief. Stella's face cleared up, her eyes already sparkling with ideas. I glanced over at Bloom and she caught my eye. We knew what she was thinking.

When Faragonda dismissed us, Stella revealed her not-so-surprising plan. "We should go to the parade in Magix with the Specialists! It has been a while since we've had a nice get-together. And Brandon still hasn't given me my present!" I pinched my lips and looked at the floor. His present was a lot bigger than Stella thought it to be.

"You guys can go on ahead," Musa replied, "I'm not really in the mood for a parade." I looked over at the Winx. They didn't seem too surprised by this. Bloom placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Musa, I know this day is hard for you, but you can't keep isolating yourself."

"I don't isolate myself," Musa replied, frustration rising in her voice, "I just spend time thinking about my mother. It's not really for me to share with you guys."

"I understand. I haven't seen my birthmother my whole life and this is the first time I can celebrate the day of mothers with her…but I can't." Musa crossed her arms.

"You've got _two_ moms, Bloom. I've got none." Flora stepped forward, lacing her fingers together and resting them on her chest.

"Please join us, Musa," she sweetly said, "We want to spend the day with you."

"Think about Riven," Stella added with a sly smile, "Isn't he mother-less too?" I watched Musa actually consider Stella's comment. She was silent for a bit before saying, "He probably won't come. He hates this day a lot more than I do."

"Then convince him," Layla suggested, "If there's anyone he's gonna listen to, it's you." She closed her eyes briefly and rose her shoulder with tension for a few moments. With a sigh, she relaxed herself.

"Can I at least have until the parade to be alone?"

"Of course," Bloom said with a smile, "We'll let you know when we're ready to go."

"And call Riven," Stella reminded, waging her finger at Musa, "If you don't, he'll ruin the day for everyone, and I don't want Brandon to stay behind to babysit him." Musa nodded and headed off into the courtyard. It broke my heart to see her so upset. I rolled my hands into fists. I had to get Musa's mother. I just had to. Flora must've noticed my thought because she asked, "Are you still working with Blanche on your project?"

"What project?" The Winx asked together. I explained to them how after I discovered my ability at the Lake, I noticed Musa's reaction and decided to ease her pain by having her see her mother. However, I didn't want to tell her anything unless I had succeeded.

"I was planning on heading to the Lake and work with Blanche on it," I said, "She's not confident that she can find Musa's mother, but I wanted her to keep trying." Flora took my hands into hers.

"Maybe we can help."

"How?" She smiled her warm smile.

"I can bring a container of Floro Vapian blood so that you won't run out of your own like last time."

"And I can possibly get a better analysis on Blanche and her connection with you by actually seeing her," Tecna added, an exciting smile growing on her face. Bloom looked over at Layla and Stella.

"We want Musa to be happy," she said, "Seeing her mother might help her move on from this day." Layla nodded in agreement. Stella battered her eyelashes at me.

"If you want my help in any way, don't hesitate to ask." I laughed a bit.

"Thanks guys. I'm sure Musa will appreciate it." We headed to our room and gathered what we thought we would need. I checked up on Luna and told her my plan. She was very against it, but was too weak to try and stop me.

When we were ready, I made a smooth current to the Lake. I was a bit relieved that Luna couldn't tag along. She really disliked Blanche. I wondered why? I remembered that she was about to tell me something yesterday, but was cut off. My mind thought about it until I saw the glimmering blue waters of the lake. I dove down towards the ground, stopping inches above the green grass, and gently resting my feet on it. A nice breeze brushed my short hair and I took a deep breath. I hated transforming, but if it was for Musa, I'd do it. I raised my hand in the air. Threads of the winds touched my hand. After gathering a few, I deeply inhaled. I brought my arm down, exhaling sharply, and felt a sting in the palm of my hand. My scarlet blood dripped on the grass, the sweet smell rising to me. Slowly, my hair grew, black magic tingling my skin, my fangs gently touching my tongue.

"Alright," I whispered, "Let's do this." I began to take of my navy boots with my other hand. The Winx followed my example, and together we walked into the Lake. I bent my knees, lowering myself into the shallow waters, and placed my hand under water. My blood sizzled and steam began to rise. It swirled into figures, figures that I was very familiar with.

Celia and Lucentia. They were busy reading something when they looked up, smiles appearing like sparks across their face.

"Scar!" They shouted. I couldn't help but grin myself.

"Sorry it's been a while. I've been busy with a lot of stuff." Lucentia shrugged.

"It's alright. Blanche kept us informed." She looked behind me, her eyes growing wide before adding, "I see you brought friends."

"Huh? Really?" Celia asked. She looked behind me and gasped. "Ohmygod! It's the Company of Light!"

"We kinda prefer 'The Winx Club'," Bloom replied. She then introduced herself along with the rest of the team. "We've heard a lot about you from Scarlet."

"And us about you," Lucentia said. I glanced around, noticing that Blanche wasn't around. I asked where she was. "We thought that there was a gateway to the next world that Musa's mother might have crossed through. She's speaking with the gatekeeper to see if she can come through to the crossroads between worlds."

"If she's even beyond that gate," Celia added, "Apparently there're so many options as to what kind of afterlife you can get into. It's difficult to find the one she chose. It was a while ago.

"Of course, you need to have specific qualification to enter certain gates," Lucentia mentioned, "We're using that as a possible guideline to find Musa's mother."

"Fascinating," Tecna muttered, summoning her circular green computer set.

"Indeed, but that's not why we're here," Layla reminded us. She sat down next to me. "What're the odds of Musa's mom actually showing up here?"

[****]

Musa waved her hand over her special lotus flower box. The petals opened, revealing an image of her mother. She smiled a sad smile at it.

"Hi mom. I know it's been a while. We've been busy here." She brought her feet up and looked out over Magix. "We've been constantly fighting this vampire enemy who's after my friend, Scarlet. Apparently she's this Balance that he's looking for." Her mother's image smiled back. Her heart weighed heavy in her chest. "It's so hard to talk as if you're really here. Even as the years go by, this day just doesn't get easier. I don't want to ignore it, but…" She took a moment and changed topic.

"Riven's being wonderful. I think he's really stepping up to the plate to be there for me. He hates Scarlet with a huge passion, but I think that's him just being a little over protective of me." She giggled. "Scarlet's a great friend. Actually, he did like her at the beginning. Her current boyfriend didn't treat her right and Riven told him to back off." She rested her head in her hand. "I understand that he doesn't like dark magic things because of his bad experience. It's terrible that it happened to him." She paused.

"Scarlet hates herself for it. We all know it. She hates being a vampire because of its reputation." Musa reached out towards her mom. Her hand froze. It was still just a hollow image. "Apparently Scarlet has special abilities to speak with spirits. She always is in touch with this girl named Blanche who died almost ten years ago. None of us know how or why, but…" Musa thought about it. She looked at her mother's image and muttered, "Could she really… Is it even possible?" The weight in her heart began to tremble. It was eager. It wanted to know.

She wanted to know.

"I couldn't face that," she whispered, the weight sinking in again, "I don't think I could face her rejection." A quiet ringtone filled the air around her. She pulled out her phone. Riven. Her smile returned and she clicked "answer".

"Hey Riven."

"_Hey. How're you doing?"_ She sighed and twirled the end of her pigtails.

"Fine. Just sitting up in my favorite spot…"

"_You showed it to me once. It's nice up there."_ They paused in their conversation before Riven asked, _"Are you planning on going to the parade in town?"_

"Yeah, actually." She laughed. "I promised the girls I'd go. They told me to get you to join. I guess you beat me to it."

"_Noramlly I wouldn't go, but…we haven't really…seen each other and this seemed like a good…opportunity."_ Musa glanced over at her mother's image. She nodded to her daughter as if telling her to go.

"That would be nice," she said.

"_Great. We'll have a good time._"

"Yeah," Musa said halfheartedly, "Maybe."

[****]

Riven finished up his conversation while Matt sat at his desk, finishing one of his books. When his cousin had hung up the phone, he raised his arms high and stretched.

"See? Not so hard," Matt said, leaning back in his chair. Riven stood up and crossed his arms.

"Try saying that when the one person she misses more than me is dead."

"Fair point." Matt watched Rive go towards his balcony, looking over at Magix as they prepared the festivities. "This will be good for you. It's not healthy to skip vacation days." Riven shrugged.

"Maybe. I hate this day as much as Musa." Matt slowly rocked the chair back and forth, flipping through the pages of his book.

"I know how much you hate this day. I've known since we were little." Riven groaned and turned around. He thrust his hands into his pockets and was quiet for a bit.

"I was going to call her," he said. Matt stopped flipping through his book.

"Right, like you've said every year when she was left alone."

"Other shit was going on!" Riven snapped. Matt kept his eyes focused on his cousin.

"Calm down," he said, "I wasn't trying to attack you." Riven quietly growled and rubbed the back of his neck. He then folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm guessing you asked _her_ to join you today?" Matt rocked himself out of his seat. He gave Riven a cool smile.

"I did." He thought back on their conversation. "It was short, but she said yes." Riven's lips tightened together. Matt recognized that face.

"What?" he asked. Riven shot him a glare.

"Why're you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Dating a vampire."

"She's _half_ vampire. There's a big difference." Riven dropped his arms and walked closer to Matt.

"There is no difference. Can't you see that?" Matt didn't say anything. "Or have you already forgotten?" Matt's jaw tightened.

"Don't go there, Riven." Riven didn't care.

"Your father turned after that raid, but he didn't tell _any_ of you. It didn't take him long to use your mother as a source of food." Matt's hands rolled into fists.

"Stop it," He warned. Riven didn't listen.

"She got murdered by the hands of a vampire, Matt! How can you forget that so easily?" Matt threw a punch at Riven, knocking him back onto his bed. He kept talking. "zthe vampires wanted your dad to join their side against everyone. His skills led them through your entire town. He made them victorious." Matt jumped on the bed and threw his fist again. This time Riven blocked it. "How long did it take for him to tell you the truth, huh? How long was it that he lied to you when he went off to work? He wasn't killing vampires after that." Matt grabbed Riven by the color and smacked his head into his cousin's. A surging pain spread throughout his skull. Already he could feel the bump forming. But he didn't care. He had to shut Riven up.

Riven placed his hand over his head and kept on swearing until his back was up against the wall. They didn't say another word until there was a light knock at the door.

"Yeah?" Riven shouted. The door slid open and Helia poked his head through.

"It's time to meet the girls." He looked between the two. As if reading the situation, he leaned against the door and shook his head. "You guys really started a fight?"

"We'll wear a hat," Riven snapped.

"Try to get that fancy hair under one," Matt mumbled. Helia chuckled quietly to himself.

"Come on, guys. Put on a friendly face for the girls." He tapped the wall as he spoke to get Riven off it and left. The two looked at one another. Matt stood up first and shuffled his hair.

"Scarlet's different," he finally said, "She's a warrior fairy first and foremost. She cares for her friends and she cares about me. I trust her." Riven stood up as well.

"Well trust _me_. She'll turn for the worst. And when she comes to murder us all, you'll get what you deserve."

[****]

"Scarlet, dear, is it really necessary to cut your hair?" I cut off the last bit before looking back at Stella.

"Of course it is! I'm seeing Matt outside a battle setting. It's important to look as myself as possible." In the mirror I saw Stella and Bloom exchange brief glances as if they didn't believe me. "Really, I'm more comfortable with shorter hair. There!" I did one final check before poofing the mirror and scissors away. "I hope Musa will have a good time."

"I think she will," Flora replied, "Helia said that Riven's really looking forward to seeing her."

"She can use all the love she can get from all of us," I added. We all looked at each other before I said, "I really hope this works." I rubbed my face into my hands and took deep breaths. Flora rested her hands on my shoulders and gave me a hug.

"We know, sweetie."

"This is why we're keeping it a secret," Bloom reminded us, "We don't want her expectations to be shattered if we can't do it."

"I don't think I could live with that," I admitted, "She always looks so sad. It's as if she knows she will never experience a mother and daughter relationship." Layla began to dance around us.

"Come on, girls! We've gotta cheer up and stay positive." Tecna nodded in agreement.

"Plus, I got very useful data from Lucentia about spirits and vampireism. With Scarlet's blood, we might be able to communicate better. And I think I'll be able to figure out who Blanche is!"

"Exactly, but take today off, Tec," Layla said while spinning around. "We really need to absorb this afternoon of relaxation if we're gonna pick up the work load again tomorrow."

"Layla, you're speaking my language." Stella gave Layla a high-five and looked around the campus. "There's Musa!" Musa took her time as she approached us. Her smile looked as if it took a lot of effort.

"Alright," she said, "Let's go." I waved my hand, grabbing a few string for my current when Stella gently tapped it.

"No no no. No more working! We're taking the bus." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"You rarely take the bus," Bloom replied, "Only when no one else can take you do you ride it." Stella led us to the bus, hopping up its steps and taking a seat near the window.

"But what better way to show Musa the Day of the Rose than how everyone else sees it? This is her first time, right?" Musa didn't look as if she was paying attention. Stella made a face before smiling again. "Besides, it's nice to ride the bus. No one has to do a thing." We all laughed a bit before joining Stella. Musa took another window seat and sighed. Layla sat next to her and me behind.

"How was your alone time," I asked. Musa smiled a bit more, but her mood seemed the same.

"It was nice. I got a surprise call from Riven. He's gonna meet up with us." She weakly giggled. "I'm assuming the others will be there." Layla and I nodded.

"I think this will be good for you," Layla said gently. Musa didn't respond. Instead she looked out the window.

All the shops were covered in roses. Banners, frames, wreaths, everything created with different colored roses. I closed my eyes briefly and remembered that dream I had in class. My own mother. My mom. If Cian's words were true, she might still be alive. I hope she was.

The bus rolled into its stop, jerking a bit as it came to a halt. Stella continued to lead us into town, explaining to Musa the different themes and discounts shops had for the festival. She looked up at the sun. "The Specialists will be here soon. We should find some good spots to watch the parade!" We continued on as Stella kept babbling when something began to fall. Deep, red, rose petals quietly fell over the city. I looked up, smelling the faint smell and the petals brushing past my face. My eyes glanced over at Musa. She held up her hands, collecting a few, and held them close. She looked heartbroken.

A pair of arms wrapped around her neck. The tall raspberry colored hairdo gave him away.

"It makes me happy to see you out here." Musa turned around, her smile returning. She only turned around and buried herself in his hug. I took a few steps back when I felt someone stand close to me. I looked over and saw Matt, looking…like a mess. He had this huge bump on his head and didn't seem like his happy snarky self. I carefully rested my hand next to the bump.

"What happen?" Matt lowered my hand.

"A fight."

"With who?" He didn't respond. He just kept on glaring at something. I did my best to align his glare, noticing that he was staring at Riven.

"Ah." He shrugged his shoulders and turned his back on him.

"It doesn't matter." We were quiet while the other Winx and Specialists hugged and kissed under the petal rain. Matt wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. I looked up. The petal rain was slowing down and Stella was getting impatient. She led us to a spot and snuggled up against Brandon. I glanced over at Matt.

"You guys aren't seeing your mothers today?" I asked.

"Saladin requested we stay behind in case there's another attack. I'm pretty sure there will be."

"We're all expecting it." I paused and bit my lower lip. "Is your mom unhappy that you're not going home?" Matt chuckled.

"No, she's…she's…" I recognized his expression. It's was Musa's mask for the day. I stared at the floats rolling by.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Matt let out a laugh.

"No worries. I don't like to talk about it." I nodded and focused on the Rose floats. I wanted to know how she died, but I dared not ask. Musa was so upset that I didn't want to cause the same effect on Matt.

We all watched in silence, whispering to one another or to our Specialists. Mat and I just didn't say anything. I hated it. It was as if we had just started dating all over again. I had to lighten the mood.

"I'm thinking of getting something."

"What?" He asked. I gave him a huge grin.

"I don't know yet. All I know is you're gonna buy it for me." His snarky smirk appeared.

"Is today your day?" I thought about it and shook my head.

"Not yet. I want to know my something first. Just be prepared, though, because I'll also want the best dinner, the best entertainment, and the best something!" He laughed and pulled me closer.

"You're a weird warrior fairy." I did my best to laugh in return, but I had a bit of trouble doing it. My eyes caught a familiar figure across the street. Her dark hair was cut short and her grey eyes caught mine. I blinked. She was gone. I shook my head and began to feel a little uneasy. My eyes scanned the area, seeing if there was anything suspicious going on. Nothing. I didn't even feel dark magic being used. Matt asked me what's wrong. I told him it was nothing.

The parade ended and we decided to grab a bite to eat. We were heading towards Stella's favorite restaurant when a group of witches headed in our direction.

"Remember when there was a time fairies and witches could _not_ get along?" Bloom asked us, "Over the last four years, we seem to have lessen the threats to one another." She then waved to them. They didn't seem to welcome it. Instead, they stopped.

"You have guts to speak us," one said. She had short, pixi cut hair and folded her arms in disgust. Bloom looked very surprised and lowered her arm.

"I'm sorry. I was just—"

"After the way you fairies insulted us?!" She shouted, "There's no way in hell we'll forgive you."

"What're you talking about?" Tecna intervened, "We haven't seen you till just now." The witch laughed a solid laugh.

"HA! As if! We were minding our own business when you seven had the gall to insult our studies and practice. After all Headwitchress Griffin has done for you!" She shot me the nastiest glare. "Especially you, you vampire-bitch!" Sky stepped forward, raising his hands mid-way, trying to calm everyone down.

"Ladies, please," he said to the witches, "These girls couldn't have been near you. They've been with us the whole time."

"Double spell," another witch spat, "It's a dark magic classic. Don't think for a second that we'd believe you." I felt the air crackle around me as the witches began to gather their energy.

"We better go," Brandon whispered to us to hear, "We don't want to cause any trouble." Slowly, we backed away from the girls and took a different route to Stella's restaurant.

[****]

Fury could sense those fairies alright. They were always together, making it easier for her and her sisters to find. Her lips formed a smile.

"And there they are," she said. Darcy approached Fury and looked over her shoulder. "If it wasn't for Eracklyon's king, those witches would've started a fight."

"Of course he would," Darcy scoffed, "He's all about being the peacemaker."

"The curse of being royal, I guess," Icy commented, strolling behind Fury and Darcy, "But he doesn't matter." She coldy chuckled. "He and the others will get their share." Fury turned away from the fairies, crossing her arms against her chest.

"How're they going to piss off the town?"

"Easy," Stormy replied, "They're gonna rob one of the weaponry stores and threaten people with them." She laughed at the thought, "It goes against the Red Fountain code!" Fury nodded in agreement and looked down at the fairies once more. They had reached their destination, but one didn't seem interested to join. She walked away from the place with one of the specialists behind. Fury tapped her chin.

"Hold on. I think I have better idea."

[****]

Musa wasn't hungry and decided to head to the park to clear her head. She accidently overheard Tecna's conversation with Timmy about her new discoveries on Blanche. Apparently Scarlet found her long-lost friends from her last school. All she did was have Blanche look for them. Musa wanted to ask her about searching for her mom, but she didn't. She was too afraid that Scarlet would say no.

When Musa entered the park, she sat down on the nearest bench. She was about to listen to some music she had when someone stepped in front of her.

"Did you really think I'd leave you alone?" Musa shook her head.

"I guess not." She nodded towards the open seat next to her. "Wanna sit?" Riven smiled and took the seat. They were silent for a few minutes before he asked, "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing really."

"You can't lie to me like that," he said, "I know you too well for that." A faint smile appeared before disappearing once again. She sighed and told him about what she overheard. Then she mentioned her thought of asking Scarlet to find her mom. Riven didn't like what she was saying and Musa knew it, but he didn't say a word. They were quiet again. Musa noticed Riven's muscles tense at the topic of Scarlet.

"It's good to not ask her for favors," he finally said, "She probably wouldn't keep them anyway." Musa shook her head.

"It's not that, Riven. I don't want her to tell me that she can't." She looked up at the perfect blue sky. "Remember last year, when I had a chance to have a life with my mother? I had to choose not to. Of course, I'd make the same choice again, but I had no hope back then. I knew there was no way to see her again. But now, this time…it's different. And I don't want that hope to disappear." There was rustling behind them and the two turned around. A familiar figure quietly stood there, her hair covering her eyes. Musa jumped up with surprise.

"Scarlet!" Musa cried, hoping Scarlet hadn't been standing there long, "We didn't know you were—" Scarlet raised her hand and a huge gust of wind threw Musa back. Riven jumped to his feet and drew his saber.

"I've been waiting for a reason to kick your ass." He jumped, sword high and ready to slash. Scarlet swiftly moved and punched Riven in the stomach. The hilt of his sword smacked her in the head. She stumbled back a bit. Musa stared in shock, unable to move.

"Scarlet, what's gotten into you?"

[****]

"I hope Musa's alright," I mumbled, lowering my head into my hands and resting my elbows on the table, "It was a terrible idea to bring her here." Layla placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Give her a break," she said calmly, "This is new to her. It'll take time for her to break out of her old habit."

"I guess." I sighed heavily and looked around the table. "I'm glad Riven went with her. Either way she shouldn't be alone." I groaned in frustration. I hated this, waiting until we could scurry back to the Lake and find Musa's mom. Hope was slim. I was losing faith.

"Hey, she's back," Stella said, pointing through a window. Musa and Riven were holding hands and looking through the glass to find us. "Over here!" People glared at Stella for her shouting, but she didn't care. She waved her arms until they made eye contact. Musa smiled and placed her hand on the window.

It shattered into tiny shards, falling to the floor in a musical chime. People screamed and covered their head. We rose from the table.

"What was that for?" Stella exclaimed, leading us to Musa, "There's a frickin' door right—" Riven drew his sword, blade pointing at Stella's neck. Brandon immediately drew his large, green sword. It pushed the blade away from Stella.

"What's your problem?" He shouted. Riven didn't seem to have listen. He swung his sword anyway, making us jump back.

"What's gotten into him?" Sky wondered. Musa stepped forward and transformed. Without a word, she smacked her hands together. A sonic wave pulsed through my bones, shoving me in the back of the restaurant. Broken glass pricked my skin, blood trickling down my arm. Flora ran to me and healed my wounds.

"Musa, what's wrong?" Bloom asked, slightly raising her hands as if surrendering, "Are you upset that we brought you here?" She still didn't reply. Instead she threw another attack, causing the others to fly across the room.

"Transform!" Bloom commanded. We all shouted, "Magic Winx" and braced ourselves. Musa's feet crunched beneath the glass shards. A green glow caught my eye. I turned and saw Tecna typing away on her computer screen.

"Something's not right," she said after moments of typing. I watched Musa raise her arms, a disco ball growing in size. Bloom and Stella stood together and created a Charmix convergence shield. I ran to Tecna's side as she explained. "According to my data, she _is_ Musa, but I don't think she's really herself."

"Do you think she's under a spell of some sort?" Flora asked.

"Negative. The only magical energy in Musa's body is her music magic." Tecna's face filled with worry and she turned her head towards us. "Do you think she's upset with us?"

"Maybe," I answered, looking over at Musa. "I just never thought she'd lash out at us." She released another attack. Bloom and Stella kept the shield up, but I saw their sweat glisten in the glow of their spell. The Specialists were busy keeping Riven occupied, though they weren't doing any better.

"We've gotta do something?" Flora said.

"Okay, but what?"

[****]

"We gotta fight!" Riven pushed Scarlet back into Matt. Wicked grins slid across their face. The rest of the gang surrounded them, trapping Musa and Riven to stand back-to-back. Musa had transformed, but kept her attacks simple and easy. They others weren't holding back. Sky immediately lunged towards Riven, who skillfully blocked the blow.

"But, I can't. They're my friends." Layla threw a morphic attack at her. She quickly pulled up her hands and blocked the blow.

"If anything," Riven grunted, throwing his meteor hammer at Matt, "It's Scarlet's doing." Musa felt her frustration and anger stir in her chest.

"Why do you always think it's Scarlet fault?" She tossed a sonic blast, pushing Tecna back, but it didn't do much damage.

"Because she's a vampire. She can't be trusted."

"Ugh!" Musa released a Sonic Wave, knocking Bloom and Stella to off their feet. "Enough with the vampire shit, Riven. She's not—" Scarlet flew in and tackled Musa to the ground. Musa brought her feet to her chest and kicked Scarlet off her. "This isn't right," she said, "This can't be them." Riven punched Timmy in the stomach.

"I agree."

"Maybe it's because of me," Musa said. She raised her hands and shouted, "Wave shield!" And invisible force surrounded them, pushing their friends back. They banged against it, trying to break through, but it didn't work. Riven took a breath and faced Musa.

"Why?" She took a moment. Her throat tightened and tears stung her eyes.

"Because I want my mom so badly," she cried. Her arms pressed against her sides, raising her shoulders and clentching her fists. "Every year, I'm reminded of the growing time I'll never have with her. I'm always filled with this sadness and the Winx clearly see it. They try to make it better, but I never accept their help. I'm always hoping deep down…" She pressed her wet eyes into her hands and fell to her knees. After a few sobs she added, "I wish I could let this go."

"Then let it go." Musa stopped crying at looked up at Riven. He bent down to her level and placed his hand against her cheek. "If you want to ask Scarlet, then ask. But after that, I think you should let it go."

"But, how? How can I let my mother go?"

"By thinking towards the future." He pulled his hand away and looked down at the ground. "Every now and then, Helia and Nabu will find me training, punching away my anger and frustration about this vampire dark magic shit. They always tell me to let it go. But I can't." He looked back at Musa. "I've been around it too much to see any good from it." He took her hands into his and stood up, bringing her to her feet. "Maybe together, we can let the past go and focus on what we have going now." He smiled, "I wouldn't be this kind if it wasn't for you."

Musa looked at their hands. He was right. She needed to let the past go. She'll always miss her mother, and love her dearly. But she must move on.

She must celebrate this day with her friends.

"Alright," she said. She let go of Riven's hands and turned to the Winx Club. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice projecting through the shield, "for making you worry. I'm sorry for holding onto things long gone." She turned to Scarlet, "And I'm sorry for being jealous of your power."

A momentary bright flash of light snapped before Musa's eyes. She covered them and when it vanished, she looked down. Her treble cleft pin gleamed against her red strap on her right shoulder. She placed a hand over it.

Suddenly, she heard whispers. Whispers that didn't seem right. Her eyes glanced up. No one was around. Riven suspected Musa's notice and asked what was wrong. "Something isn't right here. I can hear it." She tried listening again.

"…_attack…" _

"…_destroy…" _

"…_kill…" _Musa finally understood. She took Riven's hand into hers.

"I know what's going on."

[****]

Musa beat us down constantly with her power. We didn't have time to fight back. Riven pushed the Specialists back single handedly. Even Sky lost (Bloom couldn't believe it)! We tried containing her, pushing her back, and even attacked a few times to weaken her. But nothing seemed to work.

She just wouldn't tell us what's wrong.

From behind, an attack struck Musa. She fell face first onto the glass-cleared ground. She raised her head, blood trickling down her lip, and turned around.

We couldn't believe it.

Another Musa flew in, holding hands with another Riven, who threw his meteor hammer at Riven.

"What the—" I heard Stella say. The second Musa landed and pointed at Musa.

"Bitch!" She shouted, "Stay away from my friends!" She leaped into the air and flew over her, landing in front of us. She pointed to her Charmix. "Believe me when I say I'm the real Musa."

"What's going on?" Bloom asked. Musa pointed once more towards the broken entrance. My eyes grew wide. Through the dust of the rubble, a mirrored group of us entered the battlefield.

"I think this is Cian's doing," Musa answered, "Riven and I were attacked by these doubles. It took me a while to realize they weren't you."

"What told you that?" Tecna asked, eager to know the answer.

"I heard the Trix's whispering commands at them." Immediately, I jumped to my feet and drew my sword from the silver liquid forming in my hand.

"Then we can fight, knowing you won't be harmed." She gave me a genuine smile and nodded.

At once, we threw ourselves towards our doubles. I saw the Specilaists follow.

It was weird fighting myself, and yet it seemed natural to me. I blocked her attacks and countered. She did the same. I didn't feel frustrated or angry. I felt desperate. This look-a-like kept smiling as if she knew. She knew how much I hated my vampire self. Her smile was as if she had out bested me. I flew, lunging my sword. She gracefully spun and slashed me in the back.

I fell to my knees, the hot pain pouring my blood over my shoulders. I quickly spun to face her. Behind her, my team had fallen, each struggling to beat their own double. I pulled my sword out in front of me. Too much blood was spilt. I had to stop it.

"You're pathetic" said the Scarlet in front of me. Her glare reminded me of Fury's.

"That makes two of us" I spat. She stood tall, her wings fluttering and raising her off the ground.

"I'm not the one with vampire blood coursing through my veins." She laughed, "I'm pure fairy."

"No you're not," I replied, not believing her shit. She hovered towards me.

"Dear Scarlet," she said in my voice, "Don't you remember?" She brought her mouth to my ear. "We had your from the very beginning…your _fairy_ blood." I gathered the threads in the air and pushed her back. "But that's changing now, isn't it? Because you keep pushing down your true self."

"This is my true self." She shook her head, a _tsk tsk tsk_ hissing through her teeth.

"No, it isn't." She threw her hand towards me, making the wind shove me outside. My head snapped back, hitting the concrete. A piercing pain shot through. I wasn't going to make it. "You heard Griffin: Keep suppressing that power and you'll turn completely." She walked towards me. "Don't worry. I'll take your place as the rightful Wind fairy. It was never supposed to be yours anyway."

I trembled as I looked around. The Specialists were badly hurt. I saw Matt knocked out, sitting in a small pool of his own blood. My friends weren't succeeding either. I looked back at Scarlet.

"No," I managed to say, "You…could never…do that…" I got to my feet. "because…my friends would know…that you're not me."

"I _am_ you," she said, "I'm just something you could never be: pure fairy." My mind flickered for a moment. A flush of memories came over me. The Winx finding out my secret. Their desire to help me through this. Their devotion and dedication. They love me for who I am.

So why can't I?

I chucked. "You still wouldn't fit in," I said, my wings began to buzz.

"And why's that?" She asked, rising with me into the sky.

"Because you're not a part of our bond." I glared at her. "You only have to be pure good. And I'm exactly that." I raised my hand in the air and took a deep breath.

I let it go.

I watched the silver change to navy blue and felt my fangs form. I let the dark magic replace my light one. I closed my eyes, remembering the very first time I said, "Word of a Winx". All my life I'd been treated as if my vampire-self was a curse. I realized now why that was. It wasn't because I was a vampire. It was because I was the Balance.

And no one wanted me to fall into Cian's hands.

I released my navy armor that protected me from the sunlight. Then I whispered, "Nightmare," spreading my hands wide. A wave of sparkling navy blue flooded out towards the other me. She was wrapped it. The wave continued and wiped out the other doubles. They were stuck. I brought them together and rose them to my level.

"You may look like me and you may have my blood, but you'll _never_ be me." The sound of footsteps reached my ears and I looked down. The Winx were back on their feet, their Charmix gleaming in the sunlight. I landed beside them.

"Scarlet," Stella said in awe, "look at yourself." She waved her hand a body-length mirror appeared in front of me.

I gasped.

A familiar pin rested against my chest. In the center was a metal eight, each hole carrying a red gem. It curled upwards towards the top of my tube-top like Flora's pin. I then look at my right hip. A silver pouch hung loosely; the ribbon around my waist keeping it in place.

"Ohmygod," I mumbled looking up at my friends, "I did it." Musa stepped forwards and gave me a tight hug.

"We knew you would." The others piled into a hug.

A new feeling swirled through me. It was exhilarating and wonderful. Bloom pulled us back and pointed to the sticky ball of doubles.

"Let's get rid of them." I nodded and we all pointed to our enemies. Our magic bubbled around us. I could feel it. Everyone's stronger than before. Even me.

"Winx Charmix Convergent Blast!" With one hit of color, the ball vanished, and so did the enemy. The sun beamed down on me and I felt its warmth. It didn't hurt.

[****]

We hid behind the trees while Brandon took Stella by the fountain in Magix Park. I kept tucking my hair behind my ear. I wasn't used to its long length. Matt grabbed my wrist.

"If you keep doing that, they'll hear you," he said.

"You try living with long hair!" He shook his head.

"Not my style." We heard someone shushing us nearby. I saw Sky placing his index finger against his neck, pulling it across. We understood.

"I think I have to do this now," Brandon told Stella, holding both of her hands, "I was going to do this at that party you made us attend, but Faragonda busted it before I had a chance to." Stella began to jitter with excitement.

"Finally! I've been waiting for_ever_ for this gift." Bradon took a deep breath and lowered himself on one knee. Stella's eyes grew wide in shock. I held my breath for her.

"Stella," Brandon said, releasing her right hand but holding her left, "I've loved you since the moment I saw you as a first-year fairy. Even through the outside flirting and teasing games, I don't want any other girl but you." Stella placed her hand over her mouth. I saw tears gathering in her eyes. Brandon pulled out a small box. "Stella," he began, swiftly opening the box with his free hand, "Will you marry me?" She hid her face in her hand and was silent for a full minute. I heard Layla whispering, "Yes yes yes, please say yes."

Stella nodded.

Brandon placed the ring on her finger and they locked themselves in a romantic embrace. Out of nowhere, poppers began to pop, and Sky with Bloom led us out to congratulate them. Stella was still crying, clinging onto Brandon as if letting go would mean it wasn't true. I saw Matt rest his hand on Brandon's shoulder.

"You did well," he said.

"Yeah, and you finally did it," Riven added. Brandon slightly turned a bright shade of red, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head. Tecna was leaning in closely, her mini-laptop in hand.

"We've gotta head over to the Lake. I think they've found something." My heartbeat began to quicken. While I wanted to ask Tecna how she managed to connect with the dead, my gift to Musa came first. I gave her a quick nod and stretched my arms out.

"Man, what a day. I think I'm gonna call it in early." I smiled at Stella. "I assume you're planning the engagement party already." She wiped the tears away and nodded. Bloom gave me a quick wink.

"Why don't you go on ahead. We'll meet you back at Alfea." Tecna made an excuse to follow and the two of us headed out as fast as we could to the Lake. Timmy and Matt insisted on following, knowing that we were hiding something. Tecna filled them in. I was too busy worrying if this would actually work.

"Lucentia and I were figuring out a way to install in our programs a way to keep in touch without knocking Scarlet out," Tecna explained when Timmy asked my intriguing question, "We simply installed Sccarlet's blood into our systems. Thanks to Flora and my barrier research, it seemed very likely that we could generate our technology with vampire beings as well as plants." We arrived at the Lake and I quickly cut my hand. I hoped it was good news. My blood stirred in the water and Celia and Lucentia appeared. They were surprised to see Timmy and Matt, especially Matt.

"So this is Scar's knight in shining armor," Celia said, stepping as close as she could to Matt. He seemed a bit confused.

"Celia," I hissed, "I'll properly introduce you later, but right now, any news?" Lucentia held a similar device to Tecna's and typed away.

"We finally found the gate," she said, "but no one has found her yet. Blanche is waiting to see if she'll come."

"But there's hope?" I asked. Celia nodded.

"All we have to do is wait," she replied. And so we waited. Celia couldn't keep herself away from Matt while Lucentia and Tecna demonstrated to Timmy what they were working on. I couldn't join in. I was too nervous. Even trying to protect Matt from Celia couldn't distract me from the slight hope we had. Hours passed, and still nothing. Matt and Timmy eventually had to head back to Red Fountain. The sun had set, and stars were gleaming across the sky. My hope began to fade.

"The holiday's over," I finally said, "Maybe we should stop while we can." We were silent before Tecna sighed.

"Yeah, that might not be a bad idea."

A slight breeze brushed against my hair, and the sound of wings reached my ears. I glanced up at the sky and saw five shadowed figures heading towards us. My eyes grew wide in fear.

"Tec," I said, pointing at them, "Why're they here?"

"Probably because we actually weren't at Alfea and they're tired of waiting." I smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand.

Busted.

When they all landed, Musa walked up to me and sat on her knees in the water. Tears were in her eyes, but a smile was across her lips.

"They told me," she said, "that you were trying to find my mother." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I didn't want to ask because I thought it would be hopeless; that you would say no." She forced a laugh. "I can't believe you actually tried." I pinched my lips together and stared at the water. I couldn't look at her.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I took a breath and added, "I didn't want to disappoint you."

"How can you disappoint me? You wanted to make me happy."

"I failed."

"No you didn't." It wasn't Musa who said it. We looked up and saw Blanche walking towards us. She smiled. From behind, a tall woman dressed in Melodian clothes stepped forward. A warm smile on her face. Her dark eyes sparkling.

"Is that—?" I asked, not even finishing the sentence. Musa shot up to her feet. I could see her trembling, the tears rushing down her cheek.

"Mom?" She asked. Her mother walked in front of her. I saw a few tears gleaming her eyes.

"Yes, Musa," she replied, "It's me." Without another word, Musa flung herself into her mother's arms, sobbing into her shoulder. My own tears crept in and blurred my vision. Celia sniffed and Blanche wiped her eyes.

"Happy Day of the Rose, Musa," I whispered. Musa muffled something and nodded, not letting her mother go. Flora sat beside me and pulled out a thermos of Floro Vapian blood.

"I think you'll need this," she said, pouring me a cup. I drank the syrupy liquid and watched Musa and her mother. The others joined me. Musa had blocked us out and spent the time talking and hugging her mother.

"I want you to know," her mom said, "just how proud I am of you." In hearing her say that, I couldn't help but think of my own mother. I hoped she was alright. I glanced up at the sky and closed my eyes.

_Happy Day of the Rose, mom._


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Memories

The workload for the following week was intense! We all gained the right to join Griselda's Charmix training, adding more of our free time to working. But it didn't seem to bother any of us. We seemed to be like one again. Stella was beaming from her engagement. Musa couldn't stop smiling after seeing her mom. Tecna was eager to get back to her research on Blanche. And Bloom regained her position as leader of the Winx Club. Flora and Layla were happy to see everyone acting like everything was alright.

Especially me.

Throughout my lessons, I've trained myself to change forms without the necessity of smelling blood. As a result, I can switch back and forth between my Wind and Night powers. It was pretty cool. I'd never felt freer.

Our week ended with Stella's engagement party held at the usual dance club, which once again Stella made private. However, she did something that surprised us all when she announced the dress code.

"I've decided to make it casual."

"Why?" Bloom asked, "Parties always give you an excuse to buy new clothes."

"Because this engagement isn't about me being beautiful," Stella answered, "It's about me and Brandon and our love."

"Wow, I'm impressed," Layla confessed, giving Stella a sly look, "Usually it's all about you in your relationship." Stella crossed her arms and pretended to be mad.

"Please, that's what the wedding's for." We laughed. "But seriously, I have the rest of my life with him to buy a myriad amount of new clothes! One engagement party won't make a difference." She giggled to herself. "I can't stop saying it," she admitted.

"That's an obvious fact," Tecna replied.

"Are we supposed to bring a gift?" Flora asked. Stella shook her head and flicked her wrist.

"Save it for the wedding. We'll have more time and space then." She then pointed to me. "You. You must change clothes." I was surprised by her sudden change in topic. I asked why, but she didn't answer. Instead she pointed to her room and said, "March yourself in there. Bloom, your help is needed." Bloom smiled and followed me into Stella's room.

"Aw, why does she get to go in?" Musa whined, curious to know what Stella was thinking.

"Patience," Stella answered. She walked into her room and closed the door behind her. She walked over to her closet and pulled out a large white box with a red bow on it. Then she presented it to me. "For you, my dear."

"Do you hate my style that much?" I asked. Stella shook her head.

"This is a gift I bought for you earlier this year." Bloom coughed. "Oh, and Bloom helped." Stella placed the box in my hands.

"Open it," Bloom suggested. I put the box on Stella's bed and carefully lifted the top off. Through the colorful tissue paper, something red caught my eye. I brushed the wrapping aside. A folded scarlet colored dress rested in the center. It was simple, yet beautiful. I grabbed the thick, off-the-shoulder straps and raised it up, seeing its entire shape. I was speechless. "There's more." I looked in the box and saw a sky blue tank top and a matching belt with a bow on the buckle. My fingers touched it in shock.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because I wanted you know how awesome you are. Full vampire and all."

"When we bought this for you," Bloom said, "you were really upset with yourself. Stella wanted this to be her way of showing you how much we all accept you for who you are." I looked over at Stella.

"This outfit is for you to wear with your hair long and long only. I made sure of that." I then looked in Stella's mirror and held the dress up to me. She was right. My long hair really did suit the dress.

"Thank you," I said, "It's exactly the new look I need." Stella insisted that I put it on. As I got the tank top and dress on, Bloom dug out the matching sandels and choker. Once I buckled the shoes on and snapped on the choker, I took one final look before showing the others. I really did look like a new fairy. I looked like myself. Nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of.

Just me.

I stepped out of Stella's room and the girls gasped for joy. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Wait until Matt sees it," Musa said. Suddenly a rushed heat wave flushed into my face. I wouldn't hear the end of it if Matt saw me.

"Come on, there's nothing to worry about," Layla said, resting her arm on my shoulder. "He's gonna love it."

"He's gonna have to," Stella pointed out, "This is Scarlet's new look! It's the look that will totally unlock her Enchantix!" My mind froze at that word. Enchantix. I'd forgotten about that. I can't unlock it. No matter how hard I tried. Even though I was alright being half and half, being forced to become the Balance had taken away my Enchantix. I didn't say anything.

Flora noticed my reaction and lifted my head. "One step at a time," she said, "First let's show Matt your new look." We headed to the balcony and I created my current to the dance club. To our surprise, the Specialists had already arrived. Stella was the first to leave the current. She was too excited to see Brandon and ran inside. While the rest of us walked down the hallway, I couldn't stop fixing my dress. I was too worried that it was wrinkled or that it was stuck in my underwear.

"Scarlet, you're gonna be fine," Bloom assured, "Trust Stella on her outfits. It's one of the few things you can really trust her on." I let a giggle pass through my lips. Bloom was right, but I still nervously played with the hem of the dress.

When we arrived in the main room, the Specialists approached us with excitement.

"Did you girls hear the news?" Sky asked. We shook our heads. Timmy shoved his way to the front and took Tecna's hand into his. He brought her forward.

"Downtown Magix has requested a barrier from the three schools!" Tecna's eyes grew wide in shock. I thought they'd pop out of her head.

"They want _my_ work?" Timmy nodded.

"The professors are starting to work on it. But that's not the point. The point is: Tec, your invention is a masterpiece!" We all began to applaud Tecna. She turned a very bright red and smiled. Stella wrapped her arms around Tecna's neck.

"A marvelous day to celebrate!" She said as if singing a song, "I'm engaged, Tecna's barrier is a huge success, and the Winx Club officially passed the second semester!" We all cheered! Musa then pointed to the speakers and a pulse of music radiated in the room. All of danced for a while while Helia wandered around taking pictures. Flora demanded he dance with her and he passed the camera on to Timmy. Flashes kept going off in my eye, giving Stella the idea to throw in some awesome lighting. Suddenly, we were all blinded by colorful lights. I leaned against the wall for a moment to catch my breath when there was a tap at my shoulder. It was Riven.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," I said with caution. He rubbed the back of his head and avoided eye contact for a bit before saying, "I wanted to…apologize."

"Excuse me?" I asked, not sure I understood him correctly. He took another breath and placed his hands in his pockets.

"I shouldn't be hard on you when you've got enough shit as it is with being a—" He paused to search for the word.

"Balance?" He nodded.

"Look, I've been around a lot of dark magic and none of it ever ended well. I thought you were the same." He glanced over at Musa before continuing. "It's time for me to move on from that and to start thinking of you as a—"

"Person?" He nodded once more.

"You've proven that dark magic can't be all bad. I mean, you wiped out those doubles without breaking a sweat." I smiled and thanked him. He returned it and extended his hand.

"New start?" he asked. I firmly took his hand and shook it.

"New start." We awkwardly stood there before Musa ran over and threw herself in Riven's arms. She placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Did you do it?" She asked.

"Yeah, we made peace." Musa giggled for joy and gave me a wink.

"Now we can all really kick Cian's ass." She took Riven's hands into hers. "Come on! Let's keep dancing." Riven stumbled after Musa. Laughter escaped through my mouth. I was alone for another moment before I felt that familiar presence next to me.

"Enjoying the party?" I asked.

"It's alright. I like what I'm seeing more." I pinched my lips in embarrassment.

"Yeah. Sorry. It's this whole…new look thing." My eyes met Matt's. "I needed the change." He smiled his perfect genuine smile.

"Still liking the view." I gently punched his shoulder.

"Oh shut up." We were silent for about a minute when he rustled into his pocket. He held something in front of me.

"Here."

"What is it?" I asked, surprised to be handed another present.

"It's my gift from the last event Stella organized."

"Oh," I said, nodding and accepting it. It was a small and thin rectangular box. It was white and simply taped shut. "Can I open it?" Matt shrugged. I took that as a yes and carefully opened the box.

A beautiful silver chain rested on the white cotton. Small circled links held each other, alternating crescent moon and star charms. I pinched one end and pulled it upwards. It caught the party light's glow.

"Matt!" I said in astonishment, "This is wonderful. Thank you!" I immediately buckled it onto my right wrist and held it up. It was loose enough to slide down my arm, but not by much. It was a perfect fit.

"Sorry it took so long," Matt admitted, "I would've given it to you sooner." I shook my head.

"No, I think this is a perfect time. Even better than if you had given it to me at the last party." He extended his arm behind me and brought me into a tight hug. His scent filled my nose. Men cologne. It wasn't too strong. It was just his scent.

"I wanted you to know that you're perfect." That surprised me. My lips pulled back into a smile.

"Thank you."

[****]

Fury tapped her long fingernail against the stone table. Cian had told her to come alone into his Great Hall. She'd already been waiting for over half an hour. When she decided to leave, the tall red doors leading into the hall opened. Cian walked through, the doors silently closing behind him. Fury sensed something, something darker than she was used to. Cian's footsteps echoed through the hall as her approached her. She bowed.

"I'm surprised that she has not given herself up yet," he admitted once he stood in front of Fury. "I thought that after gaining her Charmix, she'd come for the captives." Fury shrugged.

"She's a fairy, right?" She asked, "If anything, she's waiting for her Enchantix." Cian let out a quiet chuckle.

"You've been around the Trix too long. Remember, Scarlet is not afairy." Fury didn't say anything. She was aware that Scarlet was different, but she didn't think by much. She and her sisters fought her constantly and, to her anyway, Scarlet was no different from her teammates. Cian continued, "The Balance is created with a sacrifice. The blood of the sacrifice must be absorbed into a _pure vampire_ in order for one to be created."

"But Scarlet isn't pure, sir," Fury replied, "She has only one vampire parent." Cian took a seat in his great thrown and leaned back, locking his fingers together and pressing his index fingers against his lips.

"Not any pure vampire can absorb the blood of a sacrifice." Fury did her best to hide her frustration. Sometimes, even she couldn't understand what Cian was talking about. But she dared not ask to clarify. The last time she saw another serving for Cian was long before she reunited with her lost sisters. From what she remembered, he disagreed with Cian as to a location for the Balance. Cian banished him, sucking away his power and skills, making him weak and helpless. Fury blocked out the sight of the muscle-less being.

"What are you implying?" Fury calmly asked. Cian gave her a polite smile.

"The sacrifice has to be the Balance's opposite. But it also has to be someone who is similar to the Balance-to-be." Cian kicked his feet up and rested them over the arm of his thrown. "Remember when we destroyed Aquila?" Fury nodded. "Remember what you found?" Fury thought about it for a minute. She couldn't remember. "You gave me some files about the Avilla family." Fury thought a bit longer. Something clicked in her mind. Cian noticed her reaction and pushed himself out of his chair.

"I've been hunting the Balance ever since I found her nine years ago. I would've taken her if it wasn't for her parents." Anger began to ring in his voice. Fury took a step back. He say her move and took a deep breath, calming down his temper. "But they were too late. I killed their child and Scarlet absorbed her blood. Damian saw that." Cian paused and looked at Fury. "Anyway, it doesn't matter now. What did you say earlier…Ah, that's right." He stood in front of Fury. "Scarlet has no Enchantix. Only pure fairies get that kind of power. And our little Balance has no hope of achieving it."

[****]

"I don't think I can do it," I confided in Blanche. "And I've accepted that."

"You're still limiting yourself. You have to try."

"Blanche, I've done the research. Those who have only some fairy blood can't unlock their Charmix. That's it." Blanche crossed her arms.

"I still say try." We were silent for a bit before she added, "I'm happy, though. Happy to hear that you've finally accepted yourself."

"Me too." Blanche took a deep breath and stared down into the water. She seemed nervous about something. "You alright?" I asked.

"I am. I guess I'm just…nervous."

"Nervous? About what?" Her eyes shifted and she rubbed the side of her arm. She bit her lower lip, a familiar habit I do sometimes.

"I think now's a good time to explain to you more about…me, and my role in this…situation."

"Okay. Tecna's been dying to figure that out." Blanche laughed awkwardly. She didn't seem comfortable at all. It made me feel nervous myself.

She opened her mouth when the usual gust of wind wrapped around me. Blanche looked a bit relieved when I was swept away. She didn't say anything when I left. Instead, she stood up and walked away.

I awoke to the sound of Flora's voice. Gently, I felt myself being shaken while my mind left the spirit world and re-entered my own. I stretched and asked while yawning, "What's going on?"

"Faragonda's calling us to her office. She said it's urgent!" Flora answered.

"But it's Saturday," I heard Bloom groan from her bed, "Why does she want to call us in so early?"

"Bloom, it's ten," Flora replied. Bloom rolled herself over to sit up. Her red hair was in a tangled mess.

"I'm gonna wake the others. Get dress. Quickly." Flora flew out of the room and Bloom lazily began to put on her clothes. I rubbed my head.

"You okay?" Luna asked, placing her small hand on my forehead.

"Yeah." I thought about telling Luna about my exchange with Blanche. Maybe Luna already knew. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. I quickly put on another dress and met the others in the common living room. Together, we walked to Faragonda's. She greeted us at the door with a warm smile.

"Girls, I can't tell you how proud I am!" We all looked at each other and smiled. "You've done exceedingly well. You've even passed all of Griselda's lessons and you only started last week! I'm so proud." We continued to smile. "That is why I've decided to let you girls start you Enchantix training a little early." My smile instantly vanished. "It'll be different than before. It's all about perfecting." She turned towards me.

"Scarlet, however, will have a different training schedule."

"On top of what I already have?" I asked, already feeling the pressure. Faragonda shook her head as if surprised.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you. Ms. Griffin spoke to me about your recent lessons with her and she's as impressed as I am. She and I have decided to end your lessons with her." My smile returned while the other quietly cheered. "But since you haven't been able to unlock your Enchantix at Inter-Realms, I created a special program for you."

"What kind of program?" I asked.

"While the girls are training their Enchantix abilities here, you'll be sent to either Red Fountain or Cloud Tower to enhance and sharpen your abilities." I thought about it for a moment.

"So I've got Alfea for my light magic, Cloud Tower for dark, and Red Fountain for my combat skills?" Faragonda nodded.

"We intend to pull that Enchantix out of you by perfecting your magical balance. Now that you're more lenient on using your Night powers, you can unlock your Enchantix to its full potential." I saw her look at Bloom for a moment as she added, "It's similar to what you did last year." Bloom nodded and gave me a thumbs-up.

"You can do it, Scarlet."

"Indeed you can," Faragonda agreed, "You'll be gaining what you need."

"And that does _not_ include the boys at Red Fountain," Griselda snapped. I jumped a bit. I didn't realize she was in the room. "You are there to work on your fighting technique _only_. I don't want to hear that all you've been doing is mingling with the Specialists." I couldn't help but smile.

"I won't let you down," I said.

"Indeed not," she replied.

"Anyway," Faragonda interrupted, glaring at Griselda to back down, "You should look forward to your last trimester here, for it will be your last. You will be true Guardian Fairies after this." She extended a hand and we walked back to our room. The girls expressed their excitement for finally using their Enchantix once again. They couldn't wait to try it out. When the conversation carried into our room, Luna rubbed my head, feeling sorry for me. A few minutes later, Tecna excused herself midway and went to her room. After more time had passed, I looked up for a moment and caught Stella's glance. Her eyes squinted and her lips puckered.

"Lucky you," she said, "You get to be with the Specialists while we're off training."

"I'm not there to flirt," I reminded her, "I'm there to practice fighting. If anything, I'll be kicking Specialists' asses with my awesome abilities." Luna and the others cheered and I gave her a high five. Stella nodded then shrugged.

"I just wish I could practice with my—" She lifted her hand to admire her beautiful diamond ring, "—fiancée."

"I wish I had my Enchantix," I replied. Stella lowered her hand and didn't say anything. I glanced around, noticing that I killed the mood. "Sorry, what I meant was it could be worse for me. And I'm glad it's not. I'm glad that Faragonda has faith that I have an Enchantix."

"Did Inter-Realms think otherwise?" Flora asked.

"My parents just knew that I didn't have one. They told Headmistress Isabella and she decided to give me something else to fill in my Enchantix requirement."

"If you're a fairy, then you've got one," Bloom said with confidence, "I managed to get mine. Maybe yours is just really deep in you fairy magic." I raised my shoulders.

"That would be cool."

Suddenly Tecna threw open the door. "We've got to go," she said.

"Where?" Layla asked.

"To the Lake."

"Why?" I asked. Tecna avoided my eye contact and closed her eyes. Something was wrong. "Tec, what's going on?"

"Is it Cian?" Musa asked. Tecna shook her head and looked at me. Her eyes were deadly serious.

"I figured out Blanche's connection to you."

I suddenly felt my stomach shift. I was curious about Blanche's connection to me, especially since I have no memory of her. How could she be someone close to me if I couldn't remember her? I once thought that maybe she and Luna were connected because how similar they looked. But Luna despises Blanche, so I ruled that theory out.

Without another moment to spare, we headed to the balcony and rode my wind current to the Lake. While I rose up, I heard Luna shout, "Oh no you don't!", and she led the other pixies to follow.

"You're not leaving again without us," Chatta explained, "We already had to miss the parade _and_ Stella's party." Amore nodded in agreement.

"I wanted to see my fairy with her new fiancée." She took out a pink handkerchief and dabbed her eyes. Stella cupped her hand behind her pixi.

"I'm sorry, Amore. I didn't think you guys would be interested in another one of my parties." Amore didn't respond.

"Well, next time," Tune chimed, raising a poised finger, "invite us and _we_ will be the ones to accept or decline the offer." Musa rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Tune. We will next time."

The lake was coming into view and I lowered us to the ground. Tecna and Digit ran towards the water, Tec still typing away on her mini. Luna was really quiet and sat atop my head. She crossed her legs and raised her back high.

"I'm on your side," she said, "Whatever happens, I'm your partner."

"I know," I said quietly. I took a breath and placed one foot in front of the other. I raised my hand and cut it on the wind threads. My blood steamed as it fell into the water. Blanche, Celia, and Lucentia appeared, looking as serious as Tecna.

Blanche seemed to be really uncomfortable. It was as if the presence of my friends was too much for her to say anything. Was it that bad? Was it something that would make me hate her? I had to ask myself again, did I really want to know?

Lucentia was the first to speak. She walked towards me and said, "I want you to know that Celia and I didn't know. Tecna expressed her curiosity and I wanted to help. When we found out—"

"You immediately told Tecna," I finished, "Don't worry. I know. We're still close, even if you're not around a lot." She smiled and shifted to stand next to me. Celia then approached and stood by my other side. Blanche really looked uncomfortable. I could feel it. She wasn't going to say anything in front of an audience. I turned around and faced the Winx.

"Could you guys give us some privacy?" I asked. I then looked over at Lucentia and Celia. "You too?" They all exchanged cautionary glances. Bloom then nodded and led the Winx into the woods while Lucentia and Celia stepped out of my blood range, making them invisible to me. It was as if they walked off screen of a show. I walked closer to Blanche and sat on the grass. She sat in the water.

"Nice dress," she said, her voice shaking with fright, "And you really kept your hair long." I smiled, trying to make her feel at ease.

"A gift from Stella. A new look for my new image." Blanche nodded and stared at the water. She traced her index finger over its surface.

"I'm sorry," she began, "this isn't easy." I nodded, not saying anything. I just did my best to keep smiling, to show her my support and patience. She took a deep breath and finally looked at me. "Have you had any dreams lately?" I thought for a minute. The times I did sleep involved seeing Blanche. Other than that, I had dreams about my childhood. When I told her that, she asked, "What do you remember from those?"

"All I remember is that I'm playing hide-and-seek in one, or at least I think it was hide-and-seek. I was trying to find someone. I just assumed it was Princess Kayla."

"Anything else?"

"The only other dream was one I had before the Day of the Rose. I was really small. Must've been five or six or so. Then, I saw a girl my age dressed in white and she took a current to the castle…but I think that was Princess Kayla again." Blanche nodded, then she shook her head.

"How sure are you that it's the Princess in your dreams?"

"I'm not. It's just…that's logic. She was the only person I grew up with." Blanche didn't say anything for a few minutes. Then she asked, "What's your earliest memory?" I thought back as far as I could. To my surprise, it wasn't as far as I had thought.

"I was ten, lying in my bed, and I woke up to Princess Kayla sitting by my bedside. She said that we were to be the best of friends. Close. Like sisters."

"Anything before that?" Blanche asked. I shook my head. Many theories began to sprout within my mind. Did Blanche have something to do with my missing memories? Was she the reason I couldn't remember anything before that awakening? I couldn't wait any longer.

"Blanche," I said calmly, "What're you trying to say?" Blanche placed her hands on her lap and focused her eyes on them.

"The last human memory I have is a girl shouting my name. She screamed and kept calling. She was drenched in my blood." She paused for a moment. "I was playing with her. We were playing hide-and-seek. I was hiding when a tall man cut at my throat. For the slightest moment, I saw his face, and I only saw his eyes. They were red. A deep red, like blood."

"Cian?" I asked, saying it as if it were a statement. Blanche nodded.

"He knew the Balance was near. He planned on snatching it before my parents could show up…before _her_ parents could show up…" She paused again, her hands constantly shifting position. "The girl from your dreams…was me."

My heart froze.

"What?" I whispered. Blanche looked up at me.

"I was the girl you were playing hide-and-seek with." I shook my head.

"I didn't play with kids I didn't know."

"I wasn't a stranger." She sighed. "Cian knew how rare the Balance was. All he needed was to find the set of…" She couldn't say it. It was caught in her throat.

"Set of what?" I asked, not following what she was implying.

"Set of twins." I didn't say anything. I wasn't expecting that answer, especially since I didn't have any siblings. Blanche noticed my hesitation and added, "The Balance isn't just any pure vampire. It has a twin, the one that's sacrificed." I shook my head.

"My parents would've told me if I had a sister, let alone a twin." Blanche's lips thinned out. She shook her head again.

"Losing a twin can be devastating. It's losing your other half. Half of you." I felt my patience going thin.

"Blanche, please be frank with me. I'm really not—"

"I'm your twin sister!" I opened my mouth to deny it, but she beat me to it. "We were playing in Aquila in our neighborhood. Mom and Dad didn't want us to go farther than the castle. I was hiding, you were seeking. When I died, my spirit morphed into yours." She paused briefly and said, "I'm the reason you have fairy magic." That struck a chord with me.

"Excuse me?" Her dark eyes began to look glassy.

"I was the fairy and you were the vampire. That's why you're pure. The Balance carries the light magic from its sacrifice; its twin." I felt my blood tickle beneath my skin. I hated what she was saying. I shook my head again.

"No," I mumbled, "I'm mixed. Mom is human and dad is a vampire—"

"And they had twins. One pure fairy and one pure vampire. My fairy magic mixed in with your vampire magic and granted you my powers." Tears stung my eyes. My head kept on shaking. I felt like I was going to throw up. It was sickening hearing that my wind powers weren't my own. "They probably didn't know about our fates," Blanche continued, "I don't think dad was interested in the Balance until my death." I jumped to my feet. I kept on shaking my head.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "But I have to go." I turned on my heels and sprinted as fast as I could. Blanche called out my name, but it was cut off. I didn't look back. I couldn't. I hated hearing this. She's my twin?! I had one?! Then why couldn't I remember? My breath grew shorter and shorter until my legs couldn't carry me anymore. I threw my back against a tree and pulled my knees up to my chest. I felt a small hand tap my head.

"I'm here for you." Luna hopped off my head and hovered before be.

"Was this what you were going to tell me?" I asked her. Luna didn't react right away. Then she nodded.

"She told me when you passed out by the Lake."

"So all along I had a dead twin sister whose powers morphed with mine? Am I just her vessel or something?" Luna's face grew angry.

"No!" She shouted, "She's wrong! These wind powers are yours! They must be!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm your pixi." She lifted my head and stood on my knees. "If your fairy self wasn't a part of you, I wouldn't have chosen you."

"How can you be so sure? What if it's just Blanche's magic you're drawn to?" I mocked the word "magic", my stomach twisting with repulsion.

"Believe me, it's not Blanche's magic. It's yours. I wouldn't feel this complete if it wasn't."

"Really?" Luna grinned and knocked on my head.

"Of course, silly fairy! To quote Tecna, I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this. But you are a fairy, pure vampire or not." I let out a sigh and leaned my head again the tree. It was too much for me to take in. Blanche was my twin sister. She originally had _my_ wind powers while I had nothing but vampire blood. That just didn't make sense!

From afar, the familiar cries of the Winx club echoed throughout the forest. They were calling my name. Luna shouted back and led them to me. When all were gathered, they sat next to me. None of them said anything at first. They were just…there.

"You doin' okay, Scar?" Musa asked sweetly, "That seemed like a heavy load to lay on you." I did my best to smile back. I didn't think it worked very well.

"I can't…remember her," I explained, "It's painful to look at her and say, 'I don't remember you.'"

"That's totally understandable," Bloom said reassuringly, "Before I realized who I was, I didn't realize that this girl in my dreams was my sister." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Just give it time. Your memories might return now that she's around so much."

"I guess." I bit my lower lip for a moment. "There's…something else." I told them about my wind powers belonging to Blanche. Tecna kindly offered her help.

"If you don't mind, I'll need a blood sample," she warned, "I've got my theories here and there, but I'll be able to determine how much of you consists fairy magic."

"You know, Tec. I dunno if I wanna know," I admitted, "I've already embraced my vampire self, knowing that I have a balance of my two skills. Now hearing that my fairy self wasn't even mine…"

"You should know," Layla said after another moment of silence, "That was our Charmix lesson, right? Knowing ourselves as well as we can. If it turns out that there's truly no 'pure' fairy in you, then Faragonda can rearrange your Enchantix training." She tilted her head to one side and smiled. "Who knows? Maybe you'll get more training with the Specialists." That made me smile.

"You're right. Fine, I'll do it." Tecna moved over to me and took some of my blood.

"You know, Scarlet," She said when she finished, "I think we can also figure out why you can't remember Blanche. I think Timmy has a few devices that can help us out."

"Thanks," I replied, "I think I'd like that." I didn't believe what I said. But Layla was right. If I wanted to beat Cian, I needed to know. Tecna pulled out her cell and called Timmy to schedule my appointment. Bloom gently rubbed my back.

"It'll be fine," she said. I didn't say anything. Tecna hung up and asked for a current to Red Fountain. As we flew, I glanced over at Luna. She was a split picture image of Blanche. And yet they couldn't get along. Blanche couldn't have Luna as a pixi. Maybe I was over thinking it. Then again, the thought of not even being a fairy contorted my stomach. I did my best to push the thought aside.

Timmy greeted us when we arrived on the common grounds. He then walked up to me and patted my shoulder. "So a twin, huh?" That's pretty neat." I closed my eyes, hoping he wouldn't sense my frustration. Thankfully, Tecna elbowed him in the ribs.

"It might easier to accept once I remember," I managed to say. Timmy pushed back his glasses.

"O-Of course. Follow me and we'll get started." I took a step before turning back to the others.

"If you guys wanna wait with the other Specialists, that's fine with me. I dunno how long this will be." Stella beamed for joy.

"I never thought you'd say that," she admitted before walking off to wherever Brandon would be.

"Are you sure you don't want us there?" Musa asked with concern.

"I just don't want you to be bored."

"We'll follow," Flora decided, "We're here for you." Together, we followed Timmy to his room, where he instructed me to lie on his bed. He then strapped some metal cap onto my head. It was really uncomfortable, especially since the cap didn't fit well.

"Sorry about that," he said, "It's difficult to build something that fits everyone." He faced his computer and began typing away. The others leaned over his shoulder, trying to see whatever he was looking for.

"Nothing so far," he reported, "Try thinking about your childhood." I did what I was told and found nothing. All I could remember was Princess Kayla and my parents. Nothing more.

"What about Scarlet's dreams?" Bloom asked, "Could that work?"

"It's worth a try," Timmy replied. "You got that, Scarlet?"

"Yep." I brought forth my dreams and did my best to remember them clearly. A few minutes had passed before Layla said, "What's that?" I heard Timmy click on his mouse when he said, "I'm not sure." Tecna leaned in a brought her face close to the screen.

"It looks like a blocked file," she said, "Can you get through it?" Timmy typed for a few seconds before shaking his head. Tecna hummed to herself like a computer. She focused intently on the screen. Suddenly she jumped.

"It's a spell!" She announced, "A memory blocking spell!"

"Someone put a spell on me?" I repeated, "That's disturbing." Tecna pulled out her faithful mini and began some research.

"It seems very old, like some of the Trix's spells." Flora leaned over her shoulder and skimmed it over. Her eyes grew wide and she pointed to the screen.

"That looks like something from Scarlet's books," she said, "If I recall correctly, it's a powerful memory block spell."

"Can it be lifted?" Tecna asked. Flora nodded. She walked over to the side of the bed and sat down beside me.

"Are you sure you want this to be lifted?" She asked, "You might not like what you find." I took a deep breath.

"I'm ready." Flora placed her hand against my forehead and muttered a spell in the old vampirian tongue. Suddenly, images flashed through my mind like a movie. A whole decade appeared before my eyes.

Beside me was Blanche. Always Blanche. We seemed to have sone everything together. We helped Mom shine her weapons or help dad in his study. We'd play warrior school and pretend to be warrior fairies for Aquila. We used the installed wind currents as a way to fly around. It was on those adventures that Blanche first realized her wind powers. She didn't fully understand it until…The Day of the Rose. When she showed me from our balcony. It was beautiful. I couldn't wait to have my own.

But it never came. Cian had killed Blanche before I could find out.

Tears ran down my face as I sat up, taking off the metal cap. She was right. We were playing hide-and-seek, and when I found her she was dead. I screamed and held her in my arms. Her blood was everywhere. So much of it. Then, a pair of red eyes glared down at me and outstretched his hand. He grabbed my throat and picked me up. I screamed even louder. I kicked and tried to fight. But Cian just laughed.

"I found you," he hissed. Suddenly, a streak of black rushed in front of me as I fell to the ground. Dad caught me. He held me close as Mom tried to fight Cian off. She couldn't. Cian disappeared and we all sobbed over Blanche's body.

The king and queen arrived too, but that memory was a bit blurry by that point. All I remember was crying and dad saying, "It's for the better."

I pressed my hands against my eyes. It was too much.

"I think we should go," Bloom said, "We should take Scarlet back."

"Okay," Timmy replied, "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. She just needs some privacy." The girls brought me to my feet and I made our wind current back to Alfea. None of them asked what I remembered, and I was thankful for that. Flora and Bloom kept to the common room when we landed. They wanted to leave our room available for me. I plopped down on my bed and grabbed my pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Blanche. So, so sorry."

[Meanwhile…]

A bright portal appears in the middle of Magix. People scurry away from the spot. Whispers of curiosity rise into the air. There's a man covered in dirt and blood lying on the sidewalk. People walking by wonder if they should call the hospital. A twitch in his arm held off the phone call followed by a gargled groan. He coughed. A young woman kneeled down and asked if he was alright. He weakly raised a hand and opened his mouth.

"Warrior…school…where is…one…?"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23:Clarification

My memories slowly cleared up after a few days, but the shock still remained. I had daily sessions with Professor Avalon to help organize my cluttered mind. After all, ten years of locked-up memories can feel overwhelming when suddenly opened. He said rest is what I needed most, ideally with little to no interference whatsoever. I asked Tecna if she could pass on a message to Lucentia asking Blanche to leave my conscious alone for a while. Considering that Blanche didn't interfere with my sleep during that time, I assumed she got my message. Still. After realizing who she was, I couldn't help but feel I needed to do something. But what? I haven't had a sister for so long, I didn't know what to do.

"Just be honest with her," Flora replied when I confessed my concern to the Winx, "It's worse if you keep your frustration to yourself. If you do, you'll start resenting her." I nodded. Flora gave me a gentle hug. "You'll be fine." She let me go. Tecna opened the door to her room and sat me down at her computer. She explained all that I needed to know to communicate with Blanche through her system.

"It's healthier this way," Tecna explained when she finished. "We can't have you spilling your blood while you're in Enchantix training." I nodded in agreement. Tecna left the room and for a few minutes I sat in silence. What was I gonna say? Especially since now I remember. There was only one way to find out.

I tapped the Enter button and Tecna's screen fizzed to life. The green fuzzy screen grew clearer and Lucentia's face appeared. Her multicolored eyes shined in the spirit world's glow. They grew wide as if surprised to see me.

"I didn't think you'd be communicating like this," she admitted.

"Gotta preserve my blood," I replied, "Is…uh…is Blanche there?" Lucentia glanced to the side and leaned closer to the screen.

"Are you alright?" she asked, "When Blanche said you ran off like that—"

"I'm still in shock, but fine." Lucentia took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. She then sighed, put her glasses back on, and called for Blanche. Blanche took a seat in front of the computer and looked up at me. To my surprise, she smiled with confidence.

"How goes training?" she asked, "I couldn't help but wonder how they were going."

"They're going well," I answered, "Had a few Cloud Tower sessions and a Red Fountain one in between. Faragonda's gonna give me a weekly check-up to see how I'm coming along. I think she'll give me more work if I don't improve." Blanche let out a laugh and I couldn't help but smile. When she calmed down, we were silent. She kinda reminded me of mom, now that I thought about it. Though we looked alike, only our eye and hair color was different. How didn't I see it before?

"Look," I began, "About last time…" Blanche shook her head.

"It's okay. I understand."

"Please know that I only need time to adjust. We still don't know who put the memory spell on me and—" I didn't want to mention the wind powers, but Flora's words burned inside my mind. "—and I want to know how much of my magic is really mine." Blanche slightly tilted her head to one side. She didn't seem to understand what I meant. "I don't know how I feel about having fairy powers and learning that they're not my own. It makes me feel like I've been living a lie for ten years." Blanche straightened herself up, a stern look appeared on her face.

"You were always going to have fairy power. It's the light magic portion of the Balance."

"Right, but I've always thought they were mine, not yours." Blanche continued to rebuttal insisting that it didn't matter where the magic came from. I told her over and over again how much it mattered to me, but she wouldn't listen. Eventually, I grew tired of the conversation and told Blanche that I had to go. I clicked the Enter button and Tecna's screen went blank. For a few mintues I sat there, analyzing my conversation with my twin sister. It didn't go as well as I had hoped. I truly felt that she missed the point.

When I left Tecna's room, everyone had already left for their Enchantix training. A faint buzzing reached my ears from my room. I walked in and found my phone vibrating wildly on the table, scooting towards the edge. I snatched it right before it fell off and answered it.

"Hello?"

"_Scar! Where the fuck are you?"_ Matt's tone surprised and I stuttered before I spoke.

"A-At school. Why?"

"_Because class started fifteen minutes ago and __Cordatorta__ is wondering where you are!"_ My eyes shifted towards the calendar Flora, Bloom, and I shared. On today's date, marked in red, was my Red Fountain notice.

"SHIT!" I snapped my phone shut and sprinted to the balcony. I swung my hand in the air and dove into my current. I did my best to make it as fast as I could. The class was held in the arena, which made my entrance a little more showy than usual. Two Specialists were grappling when I suddenly dropped out of my current and landed in between them. They were very surprised. I glanced around until I found Cordatorta. I shyly waved.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," he announced, "Matt said you'd be coming."

"I'm sorry," I replied. My cheeks suddenly felt hot as every pair of eyes fell down on me. Cordatorta gave me one, solid nod.

"Don't let it happen again." I took one step towards the bleachers when he said, "Stay where you are. It's your turn to fight." He pointed to the two Specialists and then to me.

"Attack her with all you've got!"

[*******]

Griselda had her class under close surveillance as she observed them through the obstacle course. Already she could tell how long it would take for her students' Enchantix to become permanent. Unfortunately, nothing promising yet.

"Keep hustling, girls," She commanded, "If Cian unleashed another attack, you'd all be dead by now."

"Seriously, professor?" one student asked.

"Aren't I always, Alice?" Alice rolled her eyes and continued on with her assignment. Musa watched her finish the course before flying up to them and asking, "What's her deal?" Musa shrugged.

"You know, the usual stuff: some villain threatening Alfea, girls who aren't prepared enough for her courses, making sure Stella stays out of trouble." Stella snapped a "Hey!" towards Musa. Alice giggled.

"I guess."

"ALICE!" Griselda shouted, "You're holding everyone up." Alice apologized and flew over to her friends.

"Geez," Stella muttered, "What _is_ her deal?"

"She's probably really concerned about our training," Tecna answered, "I mean, these are supposed to be our final forms. They can't be final unless they stick."

"But we unlocked them like we were supposed to," Musa said, "What more does she want?"

"Perfection," Bloom replied, "whatever that means. Either way, it's important to her and to Faragonda, so we can't blow it off. Besides, we've gotta do this for Scarlet." She thought back to last year. Her time in Pyros had its challenges, but she made it through. If anyone understood how to force an Enchanix forward, Bloom did.

"Hopefully she's working hard," Layla said with a sly smile, "She better not be making out with Matt while training, or something." Stella shook with jealousy.

"I wanna make out with Brandon instead of training!" Flora smacked her hand against Stella's mouth. She and the others knew that Stella got in trouble for the things she shouted.

"You don't want Griselda to give you more work, do you?" she asked. Stella shook her head and Flora removed her hand.

The girls began to run the obstacle course spacing themselves out to be thirty seconds in front and behind one another. While shifting along, Musa heard the door open and footsteps. She glanced down and saw Avalon calmly walking towards Griselda.

"Looks like someone else came to watch us," she shouted, hoping Stella would hear. The girls glanced down and Avalon waved to them.

"He's still really hot," Stella admitted while dodging one of Griselda's traps. Musa giggled.

"Good thing Brandon's not around to hear that." Stella shrugged. Musa was the first to finish the course. When she turned around to see if Avalon was still there, she picked up part of his whispering conversation.

"…wandering around for three days," Avalon said in Griselda's ear. Her expression hardened.

"How sure are we that he's true?" She asked.

"Faragonda recognizes his mannerisms from when she first met _her_." Griselda paused for a moment.

"I remember when she first arrived to Alfea. I'll be the judge of that. Watch the girls for me." Avalon nodded and Griselda swiftly left the room. Musa folded her arm across her chest and rested her other on it. She gently bit her thumb nail.

"Interesting," she muttered.

"What's interesting?" Layla asked, resting a hand on Musa's shoulder. Musa shared what she overheard as the rest of the girls finished the course. One-by-one they finished, each one hearing the story from the Winx who heard it before. Musa watched them retell the story as if they were playing Telephone. Oddly enough, the message didn't change much.

"I wonder what this 'he' is looking for," Bloom wondered.

"If I were to bet anything," Musa said, "I'd bet it's what Cian's after."

[*******]

"Scarlet wins again!" Cordatorta shouted. The auditorium filled with claps from my classmates and a few Specialists from the bleachers. I helped the poor Specialist I beat to his feet before waving to my adoring fans. Well, one adoring fan anyway. Cordatorta nodded his head approvingly.

"You boys should take a lesson from her. Only come to class late when you can handle my punishment course." I gave him a thumbs-up.

"Any time, professor." A few of the Specialists raised their hands for me to high-five. I proudly slammed their hands as hard as I could.

It felt great to fight again.

Cordatorta rounded up two guys to demonstrate a fight combo in the arena. While they fought, I noticed Saladin appearing next to him. He whispered something to Cordatorta, waited for his nod of approval, then left. I didn't think much about it until Saladin entered the arena and asked for me. I glanced up at Matt, who rose his shoulders and looked as confused as I did. I walked to Saladin and asked if I did anything wrong.

"Oh, don't worry," he assured, "You're doing a marvelous job. I merely wanted to ask if Faragonda had spoken to you recently."

"About what, sir?" His lips thinned out and he glanced over at his students. He took a step closer and calmly said, "Someone came here asking for you." My blood froze beneath my veins. A possible sneak attack from Cian? It didn't seem like his style.

"Who?" I asked.

"He didn't say. All he asked was where you were at. I sent him to Alfea, but—"

"—sir, I must be excused." He didn't seem surprised by my interruption.

"By all means," he said, taking a few steps back. I stared up at the sky and waved my hand once more. Another ultra fast current was made and I shot myself to Alfea. If someone was looking for me, they knew who I really was, and will get through the barrier to kill everyone.

I had to stop them.

I immediately flew to Faragonda's office, frantically knocking at the window to be let in. The sun beamed against the glass, blinding me from seeing inside. I continued to knock until a section opened. Immediately, I flew in. To my surprise, Faragonda was quite alright.

"Ms. Faragonda," I began, "I heard from Saladin that someone was looking for me. We might be in danger." Faragonda seemed oddly calm when I told her this.

"Yes," she said, "Someone was looking for you. He went to Cloud Tower first instead of listening to Saladin. It would've saved him the trip and trouble."

"Who?" I asked, or rather slightly demanded. Faragonda extended a hand towards one of her library walls. A dark cloaked figure was running his finger over a few of the books. He didn't look up until he realized the conversation had stopped. He didn't move or speak for a minute, and neither did I. I couldn't tell at all who he was.

"Scarlet?" he said, his voice deep and familiar, "Is…is that really you?" I analyzed his voice through my mental archive. I certainly _knew_ it, but I couldn't place it to a face. He must've understood my confusion and carefully lowered his hood.

I gasped, slapping my hands against my mouth.

His rich brown eyes held mine and his kind smile made my heart race. I shook my head in disbelief. It had to be a trick. It _had_ to be. He read my expression, concern spreading across his face. He reached out and took a few steps towards me. I took a cautious step back, my eyes shifting towards the door. When his hand got close enough, I grabbed it, wrapping my fingers around his wrist, and threw him onto Faragonda's desk. While he was down, I sprinted towards the door. I burst through it fast enough only to crash into the Winx. We all fell like a stack of dominos.

"God, Scarlet!" Stella shouted, "What's the rush?"

"We didn't know you got off of training already," Flora added.

"I didn't." Bloom was the first on her feet and the first to ask the deadly question.

"Ms. Faragonda, who's that?" The others got to their feet. Flora stayed down and tried to get me up, but I just couldn't.

"He's a warrior from Inter-Realms Academy," the headmistress answered. The girls gasped.

"That's impossible," Tecna said, "We scanned the place and there was no one left."

"He managed to escape," Faragonda explained, "He was one of the top students there."

"I did all that I could to save everyone," he said as if reliving the memory, "But I knew what they were after." A shadow fell over me as the girls formed a line to hide me. Flora wrapped her arms around me, saying nothing.

"Who are you," Musa demanded, "And how are we sure that we can trust you."

"My name is Jeremy," he said clearly, "and you can trust me because we have a common enemy…and a common person to protect."

"Hold on," Stella said, resting a hand on her hip and shifting her weight, "You expect us to believe that you want to protect Scarlet? Where've you been this whole time if you escaped?"

"I was hunted by those Silent-takers and taken to Cian's lair," he answered in his usual, straight-forward tone, "What better way to get to the Balance than to capture those closest to her? After all, they have her parents." Hearing that made me jump to my feet. I gently pushed through the Winx, keeping my eyes focused on Jeremy's.

"You saw them?" I asked in slight disbelief. He lowered his head slightly and brought it back up.

"Briefly," he answered, "They're not harmed, or at least not yet." I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering Cian's words from earlier this year. How he threatened me and used my parents to get me angry. He even used my own powers against me. I opened them and looked at Jeremy for a minute.

He'd looked better, back in the days of Inter-Realms. His hair was tossed and remnants of dirt clung to his face. His cloak was worn out, ripped around the hem and stained with blood. He certainly had been through a lot since I last saw him.

"What happened?" I demanded, my tone surprising Jeremy, He glanced down to the floor before making eye contact again.

"The Silent-Takers got through the gate. The professors told me to gather all male senior warriors and to report to the front of the lines. We were surprised when none of the female seniors met us on campus and had to carry on without them. I didn't realize that they were attacked first. We were too busy protecting the school that it didn't occur to me to check on the people. I might've been able to help." He took a moment to shake his head, as if clearing away all he felt that day, "We were taken down, one by one. Their teeth latched onto to us like leeches and they drank everyone dry." He pulled back his cloak on one side, revealing a dark, red circle. "Even I got hit. But before they could finish the job, someone stopped them. Some girl in a green costume told them to keep me alive."

"Fury," I whispered. He nodded.

"I was chosen to be dragged back to Cian's lair and tortured for information. I couldn't tell them anything because I didn't understand what they were talking about at first. I didn't know there was anything like the Balance until they brought it to my attention. The girl working with Cian showed me your file, Scarlet, asking if I knew anything odd about you. I couldn't tell them your secret. I didn't want to be told that it was true."

"That makes two of us," I admitted, "But I've come to terms with it. Fighting has never been easier for me."

"I'm glad to hear it," He said with his sweet smile, "You were always a unique fighter." Warmth spread through my cheeks as I quickly asked for him to continue. "The last confrontation I had in my cell was with Cian himself. He said that he found you in the realm of Magix and saw your true form. I didn't know what he meant, but he was set on finding you. So I planned an escape, hoping to find you first."

"How'd you manage that?" Tecna asked, resting a hand on my shoulder and gently pulling me back, "Cian's lair must be fool proof if not even Scarlet's mom could escape." Jeremy's proud smile appeared.

"I was the best at picking locks and opening doors with minimal material at Inter-Realms. Cian's door was just an exciting challenge." Tecna looked over at me for verification. I confirmed with a single nod.

"Girls," Faragonda intervined, stepping between us and Jeremy, "I've tested Jeremy myself with Griselda and the Head professors. He most certainly speaks the truth." The girls didn't react right away. They each exchanged a look before Bloom asked, "Can we use him to get to Cian?" Jeremy stepped forward and got on one knee, resting his fist on the floor. His head was low.

"I will do anything I can to fight for the lives he has stolen." His eyes for a moment caught mine. "As well as protecting Scarlet." My body grew warm when he said my name. It was as if a voice deep within my past was calling forth. It was so serial. I couldn't take it all in.

"I think he's sincere," Stella announced, looking at the rest of us for approval.

"I agree," Bloom second, "And we can use him." Jeremy rose to his feet, his smile looking relieved to get their approval.

"It makes me happy to hear that," he said, "It means a lot."

"Jeremy will be staying at Red Fountain in order to train with the other Specialists," Faragonda revealed, "He'll be joining you girls when the time comes to fight Cian."

"Is he joining with _our_ Specialists?" Stella asked. When Faragonda nodded, she placed her hand over her mouth. Hiding her giggling grin, no doubt.

"I figured since Scarlet was also training with Saladin, Jeremy should follow her footsteps to regain his strength. Cian's torture has weakened him greatly and he needs to get back on his feet. Scarlet, can you guide him back? I'm sure he's a still little turned around after searching for Alfea for a few days." I nodded, not knowing what else to do. Jeremy approached me with his smile still beaming on his face. He looked so happy to see me again.

I wish I could say the same.

"Do you want us to come with?" Layla asked, whispering in my ear as I walked by her. I shook my head.

"This I really gotta do on my own." She understood and let me pass, Jeremy following not far behind.

As I led him to the courtyard, we didn't say a word. I could feel his eyes staring at my back and examining my new look. It wasn't until I led him to the gate that he stepped closer. He wrapped his arms around my neck and carefully kissed my cheek.

"You look great," he said, his grip tightening, "I still can't believe that you're alive and fighting." I placed a hand on his arm, squeezing it tightly. Old feelings stirred in my chest and my face grew hot.

"Thanks," I managed to say. We were silent again before I gently slipped away from his grasp. "A lot has changed."

"Indeed it has," he replied reaching out to grab one of my hands. He held it and stroked the top. "But now we can work together to avenge Inter-Realms." I smiled, not helping myself.

"Yes, we can." I let him hold my hand for another minute before taking it away. "A lot has also changed…with me." He chuckled, looking me up and down.

"The new look was the tip off," he said, "How's your condition? Is it as wild as Cian told me?" His words stung a bit. So much has changed since my time at Inter-Realms.

"It's not a 'condition'," I began, "It's just me. I've learned more about myself these past months, and that includes my vampire self." I explained to him all that happened: the Winx and Specialists finding out my secret, the moments when my vampire self emerged through repression, the truth about my fate, everything. Talking to Jeremy now had never been this easy. I was shocked by how simply I told him about Blanche and my wind powers.

"Then there's my social life." I paused, trying to gather the right words.

"I'm glad to see you're with the new company of light," he said, "It's very fitting after all you've been through."

"There's something else, though." I took a deep breath. "Because I thought everyone was dead, I had to move on from everything…including you." It took him a minute to realize what I was saying. When he did, his dark eyes grew wide, hurts by my words.

"Oh," he muttered.

"I'm really sorry. I wanted to find you to properly tell you, but Blanche and them couldn't find you. I can see why." He didn't respond. He looked pretty shattered from what I understood.

"Is he good to you?" He asked. I thought back to when I first met Matt. He was the biggest ice-jerk I'd ever met! But then again, he had his moments. I looked down at the bracelet I wore on my wrist, remembering his words, "You're perfect"

"Yeah, he's good to me." Jeremy nodded and sighed in defeat.

"Well, I can't blame him. You're one hell of a fighter."

"Thanks." I waved my hand to the side and created a current to Red Fountain. "I know this will be hard, for the both of us. But it's like you said: We've got to avenge Inter-Realms from the monster that took it away from us."

"I know." Without another sound or gesture, he entered the current and flew to Red Fountain.

I walked back to my room instead of flying. I needed some time to clear my head. When I opened the door, Luna was the first of the pack to pour out questions about Jeremy. She appeared concerned and asked if I felt alright. I couldn't answer. My legs naturally carried me to the couch, plopping me in the center while everyone continued to vocalize the matter at hand.

"Everyone, will you SHUT UP!" Luna eventually shouted, "Can't you see she's shaken up about this?"

"It's like one thing after another," Musa said, drawing a circle in the air with her finger. "We solve one problem, then another immediately arises. Solve that problem, then another comes."

"And this one doesn't sound too simple to solve," Layla added, "He's not just any student. He's Scarlet's ex-boyfriend. And he's studying at Red Fountain…with Matt." I shuddered when she said that. I lowered my head into my hands.

"How did this happen?" I asked, my question muffled, "Don't I have enough already?" Flora stood behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Deep breath, sweetie," she said, "One problem at a time."

"The boy one should be the one we tackle first," Stella decided as she took a seat next to me. "The last thing we need is a fight between the Specialists."

"I agree," I replied, "But what can I do? I've already told Jeremy that I'm with Matt."

"How'd he take it?"

"Pretty well. Hopefully he'll put his vengeance for Inter-Realms as a priority than Matt."

"You think he'd get that jealous," Bloom asked.

"No, but Matt might. If he's Riven's cousin…" Musa took the other seat next to me, nodding in agreement.

"Oh yeah, he'd go after Jeremy," she said. I didn't say anything as the others took a seat around the common area. The memory of Jeremy's face broke my heart. It surprised me. I never realized how much I liked him, and how much I missed him. I let my hair fall in front of my face to cover up the tears gathering in my eyes.

"It's tough, I know," Stella said. She placed her arms on my shoulders and sighed, "seeing an ex realize that you're dating another man."

"That must've happened to you a lot before we met," Bloom replied, trying to lighten the mood. Stella shrugged and slid her arms off.

"The point is that we have to make sure the Specialists and Jeremy will get along."

"If I were to locate the weakness of any of the Specialists," Tecna stated, "it'd be us."

"It's definitely us," Layla seconded. She briefly stared out the window and smiled. "I'm glad Nabu isn't a Specialist. They're so dramatic."

"And violent," Musa added.

"Not always," Flora replied, standing to her feet. We all knew she was referring to Helia. She faced me. "I'm sure Matt will behave himself. There's nothing for him to fight Jeremy for. You've chosen him." I took a deep breath and let Flora's works sink in.

A quiet techno jingle suddenly filled the room. It was a relief to me, hearing something to distract me from my boy problems. Tecna reached into her pocket and pulled out her faithful mini laptop. Digit rushed to her shoulder as her fairy opened it. I heard a window pop up and a familiar voice rang from the speakers.

"Tecna? It's me." It was Lucentia's voice. "Blanche would like to have another word with Scarlet." Tecna glanced over at me. She knew that I wasn't in any mood to speak with Blanche.

"We have a bit of a situation here," Tecna replied, returning her attention to the screen. "Someone from Inter-Realms paid us a visit." There was rustling on the other end.

"Who?" Lucentia asked. Tecna rose up from her seat and rested the laptop on the table in front of me. She then sat back down on the floor nearby and answered, "Jeremy." Upon hearing this, Celia pushed her way onto the screen.

"What?! For reals? He's alive?"

"He was held captive in Cian's lair after the attack on your school," Tecna explained, "He managed to escape and fled here." Celia and Lucentia exchanged looks before making eye contact with me.

"How're you doing?" Lucentia asked. I shrugged.

"I've been better." Lucentia nodded and took off her glasses. She began polishing them on something off screen.

"I'm guessing he's on board with getting Cian out of the picture," she said.

"More than ever," I replied, "though he's a little out of practice. After all, he was one of the top fighters at Inter-Realms."

"I'll say," Celia said with a dreamy sigh. It made me smile a bit. When I mentioned that he was training at Red Fountain, Celia's daydreaming came to an end.

"He'll kill Matt!"

"We've already covered that," I replied. I didn't need to go through the conversation again.

Lucentia briefly looked off screen before she moved over to make room for Blanche. Seeing her reminded me of our chat earlier that day, making my stomach drop. However, she appeared more sympathetic somehow this time.

"I'm sorry," she said, "for making you feel frustrated and confused. I only meant—"

"It's okay," I replied, "We've got bigger issues to talk about." Blanche nodded in agreement.

"If Jeremy escaped from Cian, he must know the layout of his lair somewhat."

"With his previous training, I'm sure he does," Tecna stated, "My only concern is that he'll be in the way of the Winx dynamic."

"Wow," Layla exclaimed, "So not only can Jeremy interfere with Scarlet's love life, he could possibly throw us off our game." I rolled my eyes at Layla's comment, but decided to not say anything.

"Correct. We're at a perfect balance of fourteen people. Adding another, while he's a big asset to us, might make the actual fighting portion tricky." Lucentia hummed in through on the other end.

"Scarlet's been working with you guys so intently that Jeremy might not be able to fit it."

"Aw, c'mon, Lucentia. This is Jeremy we're talking about," Celia cried, "He wasn't the top student for his good looks and charm. He managed to adapt to whatever team dynamic he joined."

"But that was under an academic setting," I pointed out, "The top student of Inter-Realms also got captured by the enemy after losing to the Silent-Takers." Celia winced, as if hurt to hear of Jeremy's real potential.

"Give him time," Stella said with confidence, "He's studying at Red Fountain, after all. I'm sure soon he'll even beat Sky as the top student." Bloom laughed and shook her head.

"That'll be the day," she said.

"Stella does have a point, though," Flora replied after thinking about it, "Red Fountain puts their students in the real battle. I mean, these past three years have been nothing but battles for all three schools." Stella leaned back with a proud grin on her face. She crossed her legs, swinging the one on top of the other as if satisfied with her fun fact.

A sudden buzzing began in my pocket. We all fell silent, like we already knew who was calling. Slowly, I pulled out my phone and examined the caller id. Stella stretched over to look over my shoulder.

"Who's that?" She asked, clearly knowing who it was. I carefully inhaled the sweet air of our common area and excused myself to my room. The moment I closed the door, I hit the call button and drew another quick breath.

"Hey, Matt," I said, trying to act casual.

"_Hey. Is everything alright? You flew outta here before the lesson was over." _

"Yeah, I think everything's alright." I paused to gather my thoughts and added, "Saladin told me that someone was looking for me."

"_Shit. You alright? Were you under attack?_"

"No, we're fine." I bit my lip. My heart was racing and not planning on calming down anytime soon. Now had to be the time to tell him. And so I did. I explained how Jeremy was captured and managed to escape and how he was now training at Red Fountain.

"_So that's who the new guy is,"_ he said amusingly. _"If he fights like you, I'll have the upper hand if we fight."_ I forced out a laugh, but I didn't think it sounded too convincing.

"I haven't fought him in months, so even I don't know." I stopped my fake laughter and dropped my head. "Listen, Matt, there's something you need to know."

"_Okay."_

"Before the massacre at Inter-Realms…Jeremy and I were dating." I listened for some form of response on Matt's end. When he didn't make a sound I quickly summarized, "We hadn't been dating long. The last month or two of my Junior year was when we started. Then it ended when I thought he was dead." I waited for Matt to respond. Again, nothing. "Anyway, I wanted you to know this since he's gonna be joining our team against Cian. He'll be leading us to and through his lair, hopefully."

"_You still interested in him?"_ His question caught me off guard. I had to take a few seconds to think about it. Sure, I'm still interested in him, but I'm dating Matt. I'm different than I was when Jeremy and I got together.

"No," I answered, "He's just another surprise memory. I can't believe he survived." Matt was very quiet for a bit, which made me worry. "I promise, he won't be a problem. I told him I was dating you."

"_I didn't think he would be,"_ he simply said. I was surprised to hear him chuckle. _"I just hope he won't hate me for taking his girl."_ I smiled.

"He won't. He understands the situation."

"_That's good to hear._" There was a knock at the door. I turned my head and saw Bloom poking her head in.

"It's Blanche," she said, "She really wants to talk to you." I quickly said my good-bye to Matt and walked back into the living room. Bloom rubbed the side of her arm. "She wants to talk to you in person." I glanced at the mini resting on the table. Blanche was possibly still sitting on the other end.

"Okay," I replied, feeling like I had no other choice, "I'll head to the Lake." The Winx waved bye as I created my current and flew to the Lake of Wonders. I stood in front of it before entering its waters. My mind needed to clear away the thought of Jeremy's return and Blanche's accusation of my wind powers. To be perfectly honest, I didn't want to talk to her anymore. I needed time to think and process. However, as the wind brushed by me, lifting my long dark hair in its breeze, it occurred me that time was running out. I had under a trimester left to see if I can unlock my Enchantix. If I truly don't have one, then at least the Winx and I could move on to try and find another way to stop Cian.

I cut my hand in the breeze and stepped into the waters. My blood dripped in, smoke curling up and revealing Blanche.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey." Blanche tucked a loose blonde strand behind her ear and took a deep breath.

"I really wanted to apologize to you in person. I feel it's the right thing to do." I wasn't expecting that. She continued, "I didn't understand how much it bothered you were, my powers not originating with you."

"Did Celia or Lucentia say anything to you?" Blanche's dark eyes shifted a bit before she nodded.

"Even though we're twin sisters," Blanche explained, "that doesn't mean that we feel the same. And it has been ten years or so…"

"And my memories have been locked up," I added. We were silent once more. Somehow that bothered me. This silence. It reminded me just how much has suddenly happened. Blanche is my twin sister, someone locked up my memories and I don't know why, Jeremy returned; it's too much. I had to get things straight.

"Look," I began, "Clearly we've got sisterly things to clear up. But I think for my own sanity, it would be best to focus on the task at hand."

"Defeating Cian," Blanche finished. I reached for her hands, kind of like the way Flora did every time she is perfectly honest with me.

"I need to focus on unlocking my Enchantix. That must be my priority. And I can't do that if I keep thinking my wind powers were never mine." My mind flickered back to past lessons with Griffin. "I can't achieve anything unless I'm positive about every magic flowing through me. Thinking that these wind powers aren't mine just—" Blanche shook her head, cutting me off.

"Then let me ease your frustration. Yes, these wind powers were mine, but I was never meant to use them. Destiny made it so that I carried it for you. The power is yours. Completely." She smiled. "So don't think for another second that these wind powers were never meant to be yours." Blanche took her hands away from mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her hug was tight, yet secure. A strange feeling stirred in my chest. This felt…so familiar to me. I placed my hands on her back, returning her hug as best as I could. When I did, my memories of us together flushed over me. All those times we played together, laughed together, cried together. Losing her when she died was the worst feeling. It's like half of you has died.

And yet here she is.

Tears stung my eyes as my grip around her tightened. All these years we could've had together, growing up and having adventures of our own, were gone. Taken away because some asshole of a vampire wanted the Balance and was easily willing to kill everyone for it. He killed Blanche. He killed my sister. _My_ sister!

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled, "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything." My tears dropped onto her shirt as I silently cried, pouring out the pain that grew in my chest.

"I'm just happy we can be together," she said. Gently, she broke the hug. Tears were in her eyes as well. It was like looking in a mirror. "Better late than never to continue where we left off." I brought my forehead to hers.

"I guess," I replied. She hugged me again before sitting up straight, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

"So," she began, "Tell me how you really feel about Jeremy's return."


End file.
